OVER 98 000 MAIDENS ARRIVE IN 80 BUSES

Some maidens marching to their respective camps carrying their luggage with the help of tindvuna. (Pics: Sibusiso Shange)

LUDZIDZINI – It will be a ‘home away from home’ experience for the over 98 000 maidens attending the Reed Dance Ceremony as Their Majesties have outdone themselves in ensuring that ‘comfort’ is the ultimate buzz.

Not only will the maidens be accommodated in marquees but they arrived in buses, as opposed to trucks, this year.
The maidens yesterday came in numbers to camp at the royal residences in readiness for commissioning by the King to fetch the reed at the different places that he is yet to announce at Ngabezweni Royal Residence today.

Initially, the surprise started at the pick-up points, where they were dropped off by trucks and later ferried in buses to the two royal residences. When the girls alighted from the buses, they were informed about the new arrangements with regard to their accommodation.  Samedi Shabangu conveyed the good news that Their Majesties had provided the special marquees, which can withstand all weather conditions, for accommodation. Celebration Officer James Vilakati said they would ensure that all girls were safely transported to the royal residences.

 “We have deployed 20 buses in each of the country’s regions, which means there are 80 buses in total. We have additional buses as well in case they are needed,” Vilakati said.

Evidently, some institutions such as the Royal Swaziland Police and the Swaziland Royal Sugar Corporation provided their buses to transport maidens. Vilakati said they would sleep after having received information that the last child had been picked up and safely camping at the royal residence.
As of 8pm, he said they were left with a few trips.

This year, trucks were only used to transport the maidens from the areas that were not accessible to the buses to the pick-up points where they were later ferried in the buses.

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