KZN ready for this year’s Reed Dance – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture says its ready for this year’s uMkhosi woMhlanga (Reed Dance) at the eMashobeni Royal Palace in uPhongolo.

Thousands of maidens are expected to take part in the annual Reed Dance, with festivities expected to kick off from Friday until Sunday.

The main ceremony on Saturday will see the maidens dressed in their colourful beads and traditional regalia in display of their purity and pride for abstinence, gather at the royal palace to present reeds to AmaZulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

Final preparations are under way as thousands of AmaZulu maidens are expected to participate in this weekend’s uMkhosi woMhlanga, the Reed Dance, at the eMashobeni Royal Palace in uPhongolo in KwaZulu-Natal. About 30 000 maidens are expected to take part in the traditional annual… pic.twitter.com/owZa6PqxDR
— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 10, 2026

Traditional singing and dancing will also form part of the celebrations, with maidens from across KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country expected to attend.

MEC Mntomuhle Khawula has urged all those travelling to the celebrations to put their safety first.

The accommodation for the maidens is ready, while preparations in the arena where the main event takes place have been done.

His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini is now ready to welcome all the maidens, to welcome all the guests and all the attendees who will be flocking to eMashobeni this coming weekend.

The department is appealing to all those who will be transporting the maidens and all those that will be driving to eMashobeni to be safe on the roads.