Maidens who attended the reed dance festival were encouraged to not only abstain from sex but to avoid drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes and drugs.
Reed dance festival was held at Emachobeni royal palace in Ingwavuma where king Misuzulu delivered his first address after he was officially coronated last month.
Thousands of maidens led by princess Lwazi Zulu from the Osuthu royal palace presented their reeds to king Misuzulu and described the festival as the prayer of the Zulu nation to God.
The event happened under heavy security where the private security company officers had big rifles and guns.
Delivering the speech king Misuzulu thanked the government for sponsoring the event after they abandoned it last year due to the Zulu throne dispute.
“Last year we did this event and we lit candles to pay tribute to my late father king Zwelithini and my late mother queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu.
“I’m thankful that the department of Art and Culture sponsored the event this year and is working with us as a royal house in big events like this,” he said.
King Misuzulu said it is known that the reed dance festival is an event to build the nation and keep the culture alive and make the nation come together.
“I’m happy that after all that has happened in the royal family you still show your support to me. Coming here to the reed dance shows that you still respect your culture and love your king.
“The reed dance was revived by my mother taking it from her country in Swaziland and she saw the need that the Zulu nation should also do it,” he said.
KZN MEC for Art and Culture Amanda Bani-Mapena said seeing beautiful maidens attending the reed dance festival also encourages them as the government to continue to sponsor it.
“We ask maidens to abstain themselves fully, when we talk about the full abstinence we talk about that maidens should also stay away from alcohol and drugs and other bad habits.
“I ask the king to also have the same event like this for young boys because they also have a big role to play in building this nation and keeping the virginity of our maidens,” she said.
The event was attended by KZN MEC for Human settlement Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba, KZN MEC for Social Development Nonhlanhla Khoza, KZN legislature speaker Nontembeko Boyse and many more.
