Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has hit back at critics of the annual Reed Dance, accusing those seeking to undermine the ceremony of threatening an important part of Zulu culture and vowing to protect the maidens who participate.
The King was speaking during this year’s uMkhosi woMhlanga, held at eMachobeni Royal Palace in Ingwavuma, KwaZulu-Natal, where thousands of young women gathered for one of the Zulu nation’s most significant cultural ceremonies.
His remarks come as the Reed Dance once again finds itself at the centre of a wider debate about tradition, the rights of young women and the role of the Zulu monarchy in a constitutional democracy.
King warns critics against interfering
Addressing the maidens, King Misuzulu expressed strong opposition to those who have criticised or called for the ceremony to be discontinued.
He described some of its detractors as criminals and warned that those who sought to interfere with the maidens would have to answer for their actions.
The King’s intervention comes after years of criticism from activists and women’s rights campaigners who have raised concerns about virginity testing, the participation of minors and the traditional attire worn during the ceremony.
But supporters of uMkhosi woMhlanga argue that the ceremony should be understood within its cultural context and that participating maidens should be allowed to celebrate their identity and traditions without being subjected to outside judgement.
The King has previously taken an increasingly outspoken position in defending Zulu cultural practices, particularly when he believes the traditions of the nation are being attacked or misunderstood.
What are the rules of the Reed Dance?
uMkhosi woMhlanga, commonly known as the Reed Dance, is built around a number of traditional customs.
The ceremony centres on young unmarried women, traditionally referred to as maidens, gathering to present reeds to the Zulu monarch.
The reed itself is an important symbol. Maidens collect long reeds and carry them in procession before presenting them at the royal residence. The ceremony incorporates traditional singing, dancing and instruction from older women, who teach the younger participants about cultural values, respect, behaviour and womanhood.
Participants traditionally undergo virginity testing before taking part in the main ceremony. The practice has been one of the most controversial aspects of the Reed Dance, with human-rights activists and women’s organisations questioning its appropriateness, particularly when minors are involved.
The maidens also wear traditional Zulu attire, including beadwork, necklaces, anklets, sashes and garments such as izigege and izinculuba. Their clothing and beadwork form part of the cultural symbolism of the ceremony.
The event is not simply a dance performance. Older women play an important mentoring role, teaching the maidens traditional songs, conduct and cultural values.
The ceremony is also intended to promote abstinence and encourage young women to delay sexual activity until marriage, although that objective and the methods used to achieve it remain contested.
A tradition revived under King Zwelithini
The modern South African version of the Reed Dance was revived by the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu in 1991. Queen Regent Mantfombi Dlamini, the mother of King Misuzulu, was also closely associated with the revival of the ceremony.
The ceremony subsequently became one of the most prominent events on the Zulu cultural calendar.
King Zwelithini also used the platform to address social issues, including HIV and Aids, particularly during the height of the epidemic.
Over the years, the event has developed beyond the ceremonial presentation of reeds. Government departments, universities, businesses and other organisations have used the gathering to engage young women around education, careers, health and skills development.
KwaZulu-Natal tourism authorities continue to promote uMkhosi woMhlanga as an important cultural event, with the 2026 celebrations taking place at eMashobeni Royal Palace in Pongola.
Criticism has followed the ceremony for years
Despite its cultural significance, the Reed Dance has never been without controversy.
Critics have questioned the virginity-testing component and the participation of girls who are below the age of 18. Some women’s rights activists have argued that the practice violates bodily autonomy and reinforces outdated expectations around female sexuality.
There have also been calls for the ceremony to be abolished altogether.
Those calls have, however, generated fierce resistance from some of the young women who participate in the event. Supporters say they should be allowed to make their own choices about participating in a ceremony that they regard as an important expression of Zulu identity.
The debate therefore extends beyond the ceremony itself, touching on the difficult question of how traditional cultural practices should coexist with contemporary constitutional rights.
King’s sister’s voice note adds another layer
The controversy surrounding this year’s ceremony has also been fuelled by a voice note circulating on social media and attributed to the King’s sister.
In the recording, she is heard commenting critically on the way some of the royal wives were dancing during the ceremony.
The recording has generated discussion online, particularly because it appears to offer an unusually candid glimpse into tensions and disagreements within the royal household
The comments have nevertheless added another dimension to the public conversation around this year’s Reed Dance, with attention shifting from criticism by outsiders to apparent commentary from within the royal family itself.
Protecting culture while facing modern scrutiny
King Misuzulu’s defence of uMkhosi woMhlanga reflects the broader challenge facing traditional institutions in South Africa.
The Zulu monarchy remains an important cultural institution, but it operates within a constitutional democracy where cultural practices can be questioned when they are perceived to conflict with individual rights.
For supporters of the Reed Dance, the ceremony represents continuity, identity, discipline and pride.
For its critics, questions surrounding virginity testing, minors and gender expectations cannot simply be dismissed as attacks on culture.
