Nomceba Zuma, the 21-year-old daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has confirmed her engagement to King Mswati III of Eswatini during a traditional ceremony on Monday. The event took place at the annual Reed Dance, a significant cultural ceremony at the Ludzidzini Royal Village in Lobamba, southeast of the capital Mbabane.
Nomceba was among 5,000 participants in the ceremony, which served as both a rite of passage for women and an opportunity for the king to choose a new wife. King Mswati, 56, who has ruled the small kingdom by decree since 1986, already has at least 14 wives and 25 children. Some of his marriages occurred when his wives were minors.
Last week, Mswati’s brother revealed that Nomceba Zuma would attend the Reed Dance as the “liphovela,” a term that refers to the royal fiancée or concubine. During Monday’s ceremony, she joined hundreds of young women and girls, all dressed in vibrant traditional attire, dancing before the king and his entourage.
Jacob Zuma, 82, who stepped down as South Africa’s president in 2018 amid corruption scandals, is also known for his polygamous lifestyle, with at least 20 children. Like her father, Nomceba is following a tradition of polygamy in her engagement to King Mswati.
King Mswati has faced criticism for his opulent lifestyle, particularly as nearly 60% of Eswatini’s population lives on less than $1.90 a day. Despite the economic challenges in the kingdom, the Reed Dance remains a celebrated cultural event, and the king’s choice of a new bride continues to draw attention both locally and internationally.
