Lobamba, Eswatini:

A daughter of South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma was among hundreds of women and girls who danced for the king of Eswatini in a traditional ceremony Monday, confirming her engagement to the monarch.

Nomceba Zuma, 21, was among 5,000 people from around the small kingdom at the annual Reed Dance at the Ludzidzini Royal Village at Lobamba, 23 kilometres (14 miles) southeast of the capital Mbabane.

While the days-long ceremony is a traditional rite of womanhood, it is also been the occasion when King Mswati, 56, makes clear his choice of a new wife. He already has at least 14, some of whom he married when they were minors, and at least 25 children. 

Mswati’s brother said last week that Nomceba Zuma would attend the Reed Dance as the “liphovela”, which means the royal fiancee or concubine. 

At Monday’s evening ceremony, she was among hundreds of young women and girls in colourful traditional dress, some holding imitation swords and shields, who danced before Mswati and an entourage of men in traditional skins. 

Her father Jacob Zuma, 82, is also polygamous by tradition and has at least 20 children. He was forced to resign as president of South Africa in 2018 under a cloud of corruption.

Mswati, who has ruled by decree since 1986, has been criticised for his lavish lifestyle while nearly 60 percent of the population of the small kingdom of Eswatini lives on less than Rupees 169 ($1.90) a day.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)