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MAIDENS RECEIVE NEW BAGS, FOOD HAMPERS

03/09/2014 06:17:00 BY SIBUSISO SHANGE

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Imbali about to get their surprise gifts from His Majesty King Mswati III before leaving yesterday. (Pics: Sibusiso Shange)

LUDZIDZINI – His Majesty King Mswati III bid farewell with a surprise gift to maidens who have been committed to the reed dance ceremony.

The over 80 000 maidens who attended the annual ceremony this year were yesterday presented with gifts including bags inscribed ‘Imbali Foundation’ at the back, much to their delight.

The bags were in two folds; some had the colours of the country’s national flag while others came in MTN Swaziland’s corporate colour (yellow).
The maidens were allowed to choose which bags they wanted.

The bags were much appreciated by the maidens as some of them indicated that it was their first time to have such gifts in their entire lives.
They said the bags would help them carry their books to school.
In an interview after receiving the bags, an excited Lindokuhle Gwebu said she wished she could get another bag because she knew it would help her a lot.

“I’ve been using a plastic bag to carry my books to school. This is such a surprise and much appreciated. Bayethe wena Waphakhathi,” Gwebu said. Some maidens who were eager to see the gifts from the King, after being told about them the previous night, said they woke up early to ensure they were the first to receive the gifts.

Thandekile Mamba of Nsenga, who was the first one in one of the queues, said they were helped by their Indvuna Magojwana Lokotfwako to wake up early.
“He told us that other maidens were already getting the gifts at the stadium at around 4am. We woke up and prepared ourselves with the hope that we will join the others. To our surprise we found ourselves being the first to arrive,” Mamba said.

Apart from the bags, the maidens also received food hampers in the form of chicken portions, beef and packs of juice with bread. They also received sanitary pads.