Swaziland's ministry of home affairs has reportedly said that the changing of the country’s name to the Kingdom of eSwatini won't happen overnight.
The ministry said this as it reacted to concerns that the renaming of the country would have serious financial implications.
King Mswati III, one of the world’s few absolute monarchs, announced last week that his country had changed its name to eSwatini to mark 50 years since independence from British rule.
I would like to announce that Swaziland will now revert to its original name, Mswati said during independence day celebrations.
African countries on getting independence reverted to their ancient names before they were colonised.
So from now on the country will be officially known as the Kingdom of eSwatini.
In reaction, critics of the king, who took the throne in 1986 aged 18, said the move was an example of his authoritarian and wasteful reign in a country that suffers dire poverty.
Meaning place of the Swazi, eSwatini is the Swazi language name for the tiny nation landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique.
The king, who was crowned in 1986 aged 18, rules by decree and has often been criticised for his lavish lifestyle despite the grinding poverty suffered by many of his citizens.
Political parties are banned from taking part in elections and only candidates approved by chiefs loyal to the king can stand for office.
The country, which has a population of about 1.3 million people, suffers the highest HIV rate in the world, with 27% of adults infected.
Unlike some countries, Swaziland did not change its name when it gained independence in 1968 after being a British protectorate for more than 60 years.
We see here King Mswati's autocratic style, said Alvit Dlamini, head of the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress, a political party which, like others, is not allowed to run in elections.
He can't change the name of the country on his own. He was supposed to consult the nation.
Dlamini said that the change would be expensive for Swaziland, where 63% of the 1.3 million population live below the national poverty line, according the World Food Programme.
This will come with major cost implications, we are a broke country, he said.
But according to SABC, Home Affairs Minister Princess Tsandzile Dlamini maintained that the renaming process would be done cautiously to prevent high costs.
The issue has come at the rightful time, we are 50 years-old now.
We were called by the name that was used by the British, we are now taking back what belongs to us.
We are eSwatini, we are most grateful and happy about that.
But talking to letter heads of government to passport to everything it would have to take time so that we finish the stock that we have, she was quoted as saying.
The name change could mean that the country’s constitution is re-written, as well as changes for the Royal Swaziland Police Force, the Swaziland Defence Force and the University of Swaziland.
After independence, Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, Nyasaland became Malawi, and Bechuanaland became Botswana.
2018 is an exciting year for Swaziland, dubbed 'Africa in a nutshell' as it celebrates its 50th year since independence and King Mswati III's 50th birthday.
The '50/50' celebrations in April will be the undoubted highlight of the year but the country's stunning scenery; fascinating cultural experiences, thrilling safaris and exciting adventure activities are available all year round.
As 2018 is such a significant year for this charming Kingdom, over the coming months we’re going to deliver 50 reasons why Swaziland should be at the very top of your travel bucket list.
The month of April in particular brings a number of reasons to visit into sharp focus, so we’re starting with 5 reasons to go right now.
1. Swaziland celebrates its 50/50 in April – 50 years since Independence and 50th birthday of King Mswati III.
In true Swazi style, the celebrations on 19 April will be spectacular, attended by numerous neighbouring African heads of state, but also open to visitors.
2. The new Hilton Hotel opens in Mbabane in April. A newly-built luxury hotel and the first big international chain hotel ever in Swaziland, this is a very significant step in Swaziland’s tourism development
3. Although April is classed as a tourist low season, the weather is perfect with temperatures between 16-25C - ideal for exploring.
4. A number of tour operators launched new Swaziland trips at the start of the year that are now up and running, including a 5-day Overnight Trail on horse back with In the Saddle.
5. It’s Marula Season. Between February and mid-May Swaziland celebrates the harvest of the Marula fruit. Lots of festivities and lots of Marula beer being brewed.
Attractions
It is Swaziland’s variety of attractions in its small area that is its greatest asset.
It is the mixture of beautiful landscapes, fascinating wildlife, and rich culture that combine to make this small country such a wonderful place to visit.
Culture/People
A tiny country with a big heart and warm, friendly people aptly describes Swaziland – a country that is one of the few remaining Executive Monarchies in Africa and embraces and upholds its own unique and ancient traditions.
Both the monarchy and the people of Swaziland actively maintain and preserve a remarkable cultural heritage that is probably unmatched anywhere in Africa.
Visitors can get a better idea of traditional African culture here than pretty much anywhere else in the region.
What is seen, including spectacular festivals and energetic dances, has not simply been resuscitated for the tourist dollar but is the real deal.
The famous Umhlanga or Reed Dance and Incwala are traditional ceremonies that involve tens of thousand of Swazis, and attract visitors from all over the world.
But traditional attire, ceremonies and dancing are to be found throughout the country at all times of the year.
Wildlife
Swaziland's rich variety of landscapes and habitats gives it a profusion of fauna and flora, with the sheer number of species being mind-boggling by most European standards.
The country is not large enough to offer lots of big game experiences, but it has some 17 protected areas which are home to a very wide range of species, including the sought after Big 5.
As well as being one of the best places on the continent for rhino safaris on foot as well as by 4x4 and to see both black and white rhinos.
Swaziland is also the perfect place to get to grips with many smaller creatures often overlooked on safari elsewhere, and it is a bird-watcher’s paradise.
Landscape/Scenic
With the exception of desert and sea, every geographical feature of Africa’s terrain is found within Swaziland.
Magnificent mountain scenery with rivers, waterfalls and gorges; unique rock formations which are among the world’s most ancient; lush and fertile valleys, plus typical African bush.
From west to east, Swaziland moves from mountainous Highveld, though Middleveld to Lowveld, and then rises again to the Lubombo mountains.
Altitudes vary from 21 to 1800 m (70 to 6000 ft) – yet the country’s east and west borders are less than 200 km (125 miles) apart.
Arts & Crafts
Swaziland has a remarkably impressive range of traditional arts and crafts with many of its products now found in trendy ethnic boutiques around world.
Throughout the country men and women are at work creating the finest handicrafts that are so popular with visitors.
Creative basket ware in vibrant clours, wood and stone carvings, glassware, exquisite candles, batik items, jewellery – all uniquely Swazi.
In many places that they are on sale, there is also chance to see the craftspeople at work and marvel at their intricate skills.
Many are socially responsible outlets which provide both income and empowerment for their craftspeople from poor rural communities.
Activities
Swaziland’s mountains, valleys, rivers and other natural wonders make it the ideal choice for those seeking adventure, and even high adrenaline experiences.
In addition, the rich culture allows for less adrenaline-fueled activities.
All activities in Swaziland are available year-round, but for some suggestions of what to try when, have a look at our Swaziland Calendar, and don't forget all the Events that go in in Swaziland each year.
Cultural Activities
With Swaziland’s rich culture and strong traditions, this is a wonderful country to partake in some fascinating cultural activities.
The monarchy and the people of Swaziland actively maintain and preserve a remarkable cultural heritage, allowing visitors to get a better idea of traditional African culture here than pretty much anywhere else in the region.
What is seen, including spectacular festivals, has not simply been resuscitated for the tourist dollar but is the real deal.
Events
If there is one thing that Swaziland is known for around the world it is the magnificent traditional festivals that the country hosts- particularly the Umhlanga (Reed Dance) and Incwala ceremonies.
Both are living cultural events that, bar the odd wristwatch and mobile phone, have hardly changed in two hundred years.
Visitors are allowed to watch, but neither ceremony makes any concession to tourism; even the precise dates are not published in advance, being dependent on the vagaries of ancestral astrology.
The main events happen at the royal parade grounds at Ludzidzini but the mood of celebration sweeps the nation.
Visitors to the country around the time of the events will doubtless see wandering bands of warriors or maidens decked out in full regalia as they head to or from the festivities.
The modern event that has gained an international reputation in far fewer years is the Bushfire Festival – a performing arts festival held every May.
Swaziland’s annual calendar is a mix of traditional and modern events
Safaris
The many Game Parks and Nature Reserves across Swaziland protect a vast variety of animals. From the magnificent Big Five to warthogs, antelope and reptiles, Swaziland is home to numerous of Africa’s wild animal species.
The emphasis in Swaziland is to provide visitors with a more intimate wildlife experience in areas of natural beauty, and to allow them a certain amount of freedom to explore on their own terms.
This is no place for mass tourism and convoys of vehicles but instead, walks to learn about the bush and track rare species like black and white rhino.
As well as traditional 4x4 and walking safaris, some of Swaziland’s reserves can also be explored by mountain bike and on horseback.
In a number of the reserves visitors are free to move around independently, without the need for a guide or ranger.
There are even self catering options amongst the accommodation that allow you to be in charge of your own safari lodge in the bush.
There aren’t many places in the world where you can head off for your own bike ride and encounter zebra and bushbuck along the way, or take a stroll to see the giraffe before settling down to your own bush barbeque.
Birdwatching
Some 500 species of bird have been recorded in Swaziland. This puts it roughly on a par with France (517) or, more locally, the Kruger National Park (505), and is a remarkable tally for such a tiny, landlocked country.
This comes from its diversity of habitats, with several very different bird communities occurring side-by-side.
Outdoor Activities
With the massive variety of Swaziland’s natural landscapes, it’s no surprise that there is a wealth of outdoor activities available in this small, beautiful country.
The scenery can be explored on foot, by bike, on horseback and even by quad bike. And there are a even a few rivers and dams/reservoirs allowing for boat trips.
Adventure Activities
Swaziland’s mountains, valleys, rivers and other natural wonders make it the ideal choice for those seeking adrenaline activities.
It has built reputation for a variety of thrilling adventure activities that once again belies its small size. These include Caving, Canopy Tours, Climbing, Abseiling, Tubing and White Water Rafting.
Sports
There is no shortage of ways to keep fit and active in Swaziland. As well as the Outdoor Activities and Adventure Activities covered elsewhere, there are a number of sports on offer, including Fishing, Swimming, Golf, Tennis, Squash.
Gyms, spas, yoga and team building are also covered here. The best places to find most sporting facilities are Swaziland’s various Country and Golf Clubs – legacies of the country’s colonial past.
Water Sports
As a land-locked country, Swaziland has no coastline that would allow for the variety of beach activities and watersports found in neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique.
It does have a number of dams/reservoirs, and some magnificent rivers, that provide the opportunity for a few water-based activities, but these are covered elsewhere.
- Boat Trips can be found under Outdoor Activities
- Swimming and Fishing can be found under Sports
- White Water Rafting can be found under Adventure Activities
Shopping
In today's retail society, shopping is an ever more popular activity. Swaziland has a handful of modern malls, but the country's best shopping experiences come from the traditional handicrafts on offer.
Swaziland has a remarkably impressive range of traditional arts and crafts with many of its products now found in trendy ethnic boutiques around world.
Throughout the country men and women are at work creating and selling the finest handicrafts that are so popular with visitors.
Botswana was hit Monday evening by a 6.5 magnitude earthquake hours after South Africa recorded a tremor.
The 29.0 km depth quake struck at 7:40 pm local time and was felt 132km west of Moijabana in central Botswana, the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) earthquake data recorded.
The Botswana government said there were no reports of casualties in the earthquake which experts say is the largest since 1952 when a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit the country.
Tremors were reportedly felt in neighbouring Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Small, compact and affordable, in Swaziland you can safari like a king without the royal budget!
Although it’s the smallest country in the southern hemisphere, Swaziland is big on experiences. Landlocked on all sides by South Africa and Mozambique, its 17,364 square kilometres provide a level of intimacy with wildlife that is unparalleled; it’s a real safari treasure and is far from the mass tourism of neighbouring safari destinations.
There are five main parks and a number of smaller reserves, but if it’s the Big Five you’re after Mkhaya Game Reserve (renowned for its Rhino Safaris) and Hlane Royal National Park are the destinations for you. But what makes Swaziland different from other safari destinations is the chance to explore beautiful parks and wild places at completely your own pace and on your own terms.
There are plenty of parks where you don’t need a guide and you can explore at your own leisure. But the best way to safari here is to self-drive (although local transport is also good and plentiful). For untamed wilderness and the chance to explore the bush on foot or on bicycle visit Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary and Mbuluzi Wildlife Reserve.
The other benefit of a safari in Swaziland is that there is lots of budget self catering accommodation and camping options at most parks and reserves and the conservation fees (park fees) are staggeringly under £3 a day making it affordable for everyone from families to students.
The emphasis in Swaziland is to provide visitors with a wildlife experience in areas of natural beauty, and to allow them a certain amount of freedom to explore on their own terms and to their own budgets. This is no place for mass tourism and convoys of vehicles; instead you get a intimate view and gain a better understanding of the bush and experience the thrill of tracking some of Africa’s big mammals.
First opening in 1967, Hlane Royal National park, home to largest herds of game in the country, celebrates 50 years in 2017. The word Hlane means 'wilderness' in siSwati. Here visitors can track the country's lion population, elephant and rhino. Due to outstanding anti-poaching success, only 3 rhinos have been poached in Swaziland in the last 20 years, compared with up to 5 a day in other African countries.
Sibebe Rock is the second largest freestanding rock in the world, pipped to the top by Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia. But Swaziland has its own thoughts o this as Ayers rock has many cracks, meaning it is not a whole piece! Not only do we think its bigger, Sibebe is nearly 2.5 billion years old too. Whilst baron-looking Ayers Rock sees over 500,000 visitors a year, Sibebe has beautifully vegetated cliffs and for the moment offers peace and solitude as you wander its trails. It even has a population of wild horses living amongst the grasslands, but don't let them drag you away!
A perfect and compact choice for adventure seekers - Swaziland offers caving, canopy tours, tubing, rafting or even climbing to the highest summit in Swaziland, Emlembe. Explore Swaziland by bike and have the opportunity to cycle alongside zebras on a mountain bike safari - you will not be lost for things to do.
High Quality arts & crafts that support local communities have become a mainstay of Swaziland.
The country should be of particular interest to those travellers wishing to see the best Africa has to offer. Although tiny, the Kingdom has a rich heritage of stylish, high quality handicrafts, which grace boutique outlets around the world, yet are produced by community-focused ecologically and socially responsible organisations.
Ngwenya Glass is a business that creates stunning products for the home using 100% recycled glass as their raw material, disused engine and cooking oil to fuel their furnaces and old newspapers to shape and pack the glass. Building upon Swaziland’s indisputable reputation for arts and crafts, Ngwenya Glass is a must-see experience.
They also work with the local schools to teach the children how important a sense of environmental awareness is. In exchange for building materials and the sponsorship of the soccer team, the students must participate in roadside cleanup campaigns.
Today, visitors can watch the glass blowing process, and buy beautifully hand-finished products from the showroom - including tableware, drinking glasses, vases, and African animals of all sizes.
Swaziland is also home to Gone Rural, a handicraft company that solely employs women from some of the most remote areas of Swaziland, empowering and providing income for them. Producing everything from fashion, to lighting, to sculpture and accessories, Gone Rural is one of the most popular handicraft companies in Swaziland.
With mohair weavers, jewellery makers, candle sculptors and many more highly skilled Swazi artisans exporting around the world, the opportunity to see them at work in the country that inspires them, and to learn the stories behind their wonderful creations is one not to be missed.
Being just a 50-minute flight, or a 4-hour scenic drive from Johannesburg, Swaziland should be a first choice for an excursion whilst visiting South Africa.
The marula tree is an African native highly prized for its fruit. It’s found throughout 29 sub-Saharan African countries—from Cape Verde to Ethiopia to South Africa—and is a good source of nutrition because the fruit is high in Vitamin C, and it contains a protein-rich nut at its core.
While the crop is not domesticated, the marula tree has been intentionally cultivated in the wild for hundreds of years, and its distribution closely matches human migration patterns. In many African cultures a gift of marula nuts is a sign of friendship, and a large marula tree is often a village gathering place for rituals. People appreciate the tree for its shade and beauty, but it also supplies valuable food and supplements farmers incomes.
Beautiful and leafy, yet drought resistant, an average marula tree grows to be around 9 meters tall and bears up to 500 kilograms of fruit per year. Marula fruits fall off of the tree while they are still green and hard, and ripen within five days. Farmers often build fences or a barrier of thorny branches to keep animals—including elephants, rhinos, giraffes, kudus, and baboons—from getting to the fruit first. Fully ripe marula fruits are tart, with a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste. Marula juice has four times as much Vitamin C as orange juice. Some fruits are eaten raw, but most are processed into beverages or jellies.
In the center of each fruit is a large nut stone, which contains a soft macadamia-like nut kernel. The highly nutritious kernels, which are eaten raw and roasted, are rich in antioxidants. They are about 25 percent protein and contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. The nuts are about 60 percent oil, which is used to treat burns and wounds, and is believed to have anti-aging properties for the skin. Dry marula nuts keep for months without spoiling, and they can be stockpiled as emergency food or as dietary supplements during off seasons.
In addition to being highly productive, marula indirectly supports other agricultural activities. The flowers produce high quantities of nectar, and bees raised near marula trees produce a light-colored honey with excellent flavor. The marula leaves are also used for livestock fodder.
Marula wood is very hard and is used to make mortars and pestles, bowls, drums, beehives, and stools. The tree’s bark has medicinal properties and is used to treat dysentery and diarrhea, rheumatism, and insect bites. Many Africans also believe that marula root tonics have anti-malarial properties.
Many communities brew their own local version of marula beer. In southeastern Zimbabwe, it is known as “mukundi.”
Swaziland the potent local marula drink is so popular that beer sales drop dramatically after the trees bear fruit.
Namibia has an official marula wine season. But marula is most famous for South Africa’s commercially produced Amarula Cream liqueur, which is similar to an Irish cream.
Marula trees can tolerate very inhospitable climates and terrain and have few pests or diseases.
Marula thrives in hot, dry climates, tolerates saline water, and grows well even during droughts. The tree is also an excellent tool for reforestation, and is planted in areas suffering from deforestation and desertification for regenerative purposes.
The crop has strong potential to be grown more widely. In South Africa alone, around 500 tons of marula fruit is commercially processed for juice and 2,000 tons for Amarula Cream every year. Oil from the marula nut is high in unsaturated fatty acids and could be marketed as a specialty salad oil. Its non-drying and anti-aging properties could also make the oil useful in cosmetic products.
The marula tree holds major income opportunities in poor rural communities. In Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, fruits are often collected and sold by villagers to marula processing facilities.
The promotion of this tree could foster sustainable development throughout Africa, because it has the potential to alleviate poverty, support food security for both human and animal populations, and help regenerate degraded environments.
Strange tradition where Zulu And Swazi virgin girls dance nak*d for their king in annual reed dance. As part of the ceremony, the young women dance bare-breasted for their king, and each carries a long reed, which is then deposited as they approach the king.
The Reed Dance ceremony, is an annual Swazi and Zulu tradition held in August or September. In Swaziland, tens of thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi girls and women travel from the various chiefdoms to Ludzidzini to participate in the eight-day event.
Young women dance bare-breasted for their king
The women sing and dance as they parade in front of the royal family as well as a crowd of spectators
Girls undergo a virginity test before they are allowed to participate in a royal dance
In South Africa, the ceremony Umkhosi woMhlanga takes place every year in September, at the Enyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal. The girls come from all parts of Zululand, and in recent years there are also smaller groups from Swaziland, as well as more distant places such as Botswana and Pondoland. All girls are required to undergo a virginity test before they are allowed to participate in a royal dance, though in recent years the testing practice has been met with some opposition.
The girls wear traditional attire, including beadwork, and ‘izigege’ and ‘izinculuba’ that show their bottoms
The girls wear traditional attire, including beadwork, and ‘izigege’ and ‘izinculuba’ that show their bottoms. They also wear anklets, bracelets, necklaces, and colorful sashes. Each sash has appendages of a different colour, which denote whether or not the girl is betrothed.
As part of the ceremony, the young women dance bare-breasted for their king, and each carries a long reed, which is then deposited as they approach the king. The girls take care to choose only the longest and strongest reeds, and then carry them towering above their heads in a slow procession, up the hill to the palace. The procession is led by the chief Zulu princess, who takes a prominent role throughout the festival. If the reed should break before the girl reaches that point, it is considered to signal that the girl has already been sexually active.
King Mswati III of Swaziland & Her Royal Highness Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini (left)
The King Mswati III of Swaziland
The ceremony was reintroduced by King Goodwill Zwelethini in 1991, as a means to encourage young Zulu girls to delay sexual activity until marriage, and thus limiting the possibility of HIV transmission. In 2007, about 30,000 girls took part to the event. The organisers of the ceremony have occasionally enforced strict rules on photographers, as some of them have been accused of publishing the pictures on pornographic websites. In past years, the event was attended by the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, and then Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Zweli Mkhize.
In Swaziland the girls gather at the Queen Mother's royal village, which currently is Ludzidzini Royal Village. After arriving at the Queen Mother's royal residence, the women disperse the following night to surrounding areas and cut tall reeds. The following night they bundle them together and bring them back to the Queen Mother to be used in repairing holes in the reed windscreen surrounding the royal village.
After a day of rest and washing the women prepare their traditional costumes consisting of a bead necklace, rattling anklets made from cocoons, a sash, and skirt. Many of them carry the bush knife they used to cut the reeds as a symbol of their virginity.
Her Majesty Queen Mother Indlovukazi of Swaziland
Today's Reed Dance Ceremony developed in the 1940s from the Umcwasho custom where young girls were placed in age regiments to ensure their virginity. Once they reached the age of marriage they would perform labor for the Queen Mother followed by dancing and a feast. The official purpose of the annual ceremony is to preserve the women's chastity, provide tribute labour for the Queen Mother, and produce solidarity among the women through working together.
The women sing and dance as they parade in front of the royal family as well as a crowd of spectators, tourists and foreign dignitaries. After the parade, groups from select villages take to the centre of the field and put on a special performance for the crowd. The King's many daughters and royal princesses also participate in the reed dance ceremony and are distinguished by the crown of red feathers in their hair.
In 2013, a young woman was seeking asylum in Britain after she spurned the advances of the polyamorous King Mswati III of Swaziland and refused to join his harem of 13 wives.
Miss Tintswalo Ngobeni caught the attention of the millionaire monarch
Tintswalo Ngobeni, 22, fled to England from the southern African nation as a teenager after she caught the attention of the millionaire monarch, a notoriously oppressive ruler known for his lavish lifestyle.
As part of Swazi custom, King Mswati III, 45, is permitted to choose a new bride every year, especially during the annual Reed Dance ceremony.
Miss Ngobeni, who now lives in Birmingham, was just 15 when the King made his advances after seeing her at the palace of his fourth wife, LaNgangaza. She said she was ‘terrified’ when she learned of his marriage intentions.
she said, "He started calling me at boarding school. He would ask me if I wanted to be a part of the royal family.
I had to keep quiet about my fears but I knew I didn't want to get married to him and have a life devoted to the king",
"His wives are kept in their palace, surrounded by bodyguards, and they can’t really go anywhere unless the king says so. The only thing they do is go to America once a year, as the king gives them a shopping allowance'.
Miss Ngobeni was forced to abandon a comfortable lifestyle in a private boarding school, as her aunt who was her chief guardian arranged the escape to England to join her mother, who moved to Birmingham five years earlier, fleeing an abusive husband.
Miss Ngobeni has become a vocal opponent of the Swazi regime
"I didn’t have a choice,’ she said. ‘Nobody has ever turned down the king or dares to disobey him, so I just disappeared."
Since her arrival in England, Miss Ngobeni has become a vocal opponent of the oppressive Swazi regime, where political opposition parties are banned and activists routinely arrested or assaulted.
However, Miss Ngobeni’s high-profile activities, including weekly protests outside the Swazi embassy in London with activist group Swazi Vigil, have caught the attention of the authorities in her home country and she now believes she is in more danger than ever.
"Recently I had news that people had been sent from Swaziland to come and get me, which really scares me. If I went back, I would be arrested or much worse as there are people there who are tortured, beaten up or killed for being politically active", She said.
Miss Ngobeni now lives in fear of having to return to Swaziland, after her first plea for political asylum in England in 2007 was denied in 2011. She was arrested and taken to an immigration detention centre after 18 months of reporting weekly to the authorities.
However, after pressure from the TUC and the office of Roger Godsiff, Labour MP for Birmingham, Miss Ngobeni was released and has now been granted an appeal by the Home Office.
18 years old Sindiswa Dlamini
"We were very pleased solicitors were successful in achieving a judicial review into Miss Ngobeni’s case." Mr. Godsiff said.
The Swaziland’s King Mswati III, who is following in his father’s footsteps, King Sobhuza, who had 70 wives and 400 children later choosed an 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant as his 15th. wife in 2014.
According to his palace spokesman, the king has introduced to the nation his new liphovela (royal fiancee), 18 years old Sindiswa Dlamini.
The young woman graduated from Mbabane’s St. Francis High School last year and is a finalist in the Miss Cultural Heritage beauty pageant.
As part of Swazi custom, King Mswati III, 45, is permitted to choose a new bride every year.
Hence, thousands of young girls gather annually and dance for the king at a reed dance in order to give King Mswati III the opportunity to choose another wife.
The wedding only takes place once the chosen virgin bride falls pregnant.
His wives are kept in their palace, surrounded by bodyguards, and they can’t really go anywhere unless the king says so.
The only thing they do is go to America once a year, as the king gives them a shopping allowance.
The father of 27 children, 45-year-old King Mswati III was a guest at the William and Kate wedding as well as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations last summer.
Three wives left his household in recent years. The latest, Queen LaGija, fled the palace in 2012 claiming years of physical and emotional abuse.
Queen LaDube
Another Queen LaDube, was reportedly abused after she was caught in bed with the justice minister, a close friend of the king.
Mswati had married the queen when she was 16 in 2005.
His Royal Highness, King Mswati III of Swaziland
The king has also come under fire for his household’s lavish lifestyle.
Mswati reportedly has a personal fortune of around $200 million and the UN estimates that 70 percent of his 1.2 million subjects live below the poverty line.
At least 38 young Swazi girls have been killed and 20 others critically injured while on their way to cut reeds for the Umhlanga Reed Dance in Swaziland.
Reports say the girls were travelling in an open truck along the Mbabane Manzini highway on Friday night when their vehicle hit a car.
The accident comes just a day before King Mswati the third is expected to choose a new wife.
It's understood police and the local media have been barred from reporting on the incident.
The Swaziland Solidarity Network's Lucky Lukhele says the death toll is expected to rise.
“We can confirm that 38 died and that was confirmed on the spot and some have been admitted to hospital.”
The network says the Swazi government must be held accountable
In a statement on Saturday, the group said: "What saddens our network is the fact that the loss of life was avoidable. To begin with, carrying people in trucks is against traffic laws." Reports say the girls were at the back of an open truck when the collision occurred.
The group further went on to call for the reed dance to be cancelled, and for the royal family to help the respective families bury their children.
The Times of Swaziland reported that the accident involved two trucks carrying the girls, and a Toyota van. Witnesses reportedly said traffic police officers pulled over the Toyota and the first truck smashed into it. The second truck crashed into the back of the first truck.
