Nomcebo Zuma: Becomes 16th Wife of Eswatini’s King

The ceremony was held at the Ludzidzini royal village in Lobamba, as more than 5,000 people gathered to witness the historic occasion.

Nomcebo Zuma, 21, the now 16th wife of the 56-year-old King, was spotted performing the reed dance, a traditional rite of womanhood in which young women gather to sing and dance for the monarch with their bare chests exposed.

Some women who dance for the King are known as the liphovela—the royal fiancee or concubine. They wear traditional clothing that includes anklets and thick, colourful tassels while carrying mock swords and shields.

The days-long reed dance, also known as the Umhlanga, is celebrated as an example of Eswatini’s “graceful” culture. The country of 1.2 million has been ruled since 1986 by King Mswati III, who is no stranger to choosing younger brides for marriage.

According to reports, several of the king’s marriages have made headlines due to the age gap and his controversial reign.

In one report by the BBC in 2005, the King took in a 17-year-old Phindile Nkambule as his 13th fiancee at a reed dance after she had reportedly caught his eye at the main dance the previous month.

A few days before that event, the king was said to have rescinded a ban on sex for and with girls under 18, which he had implemented in an effort to fight HIV/Aids. However, two months after imposing the ban in 2001, Mswati fined himself a cow for breaking his own rule by taking a 17-year-old as his ninth wife.

The King rules the people by decree, with political parties banned and elected officials only existing in an advisory capacity. His monarchy has been heavily criticized for the lavish lifestyle and opulent ceremonies they organise while the majority of the population wallows in abject poverty.

Nomcebo Zuma was born into a polygamous family, as her father, Jacob Zuma, had multiple wives and over 20 children.