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WEDDED BLISS: Western Thembuland king designate Lwandile Zwelenkosi Matanzima and 18-year-old Swazi Princess Gcinile Dlamini were married in a private traditional wedding at Qamata Great Place over the weekend.
COFIMVABA - Western Thembuland king designate Lwandile Zwelenkosi Matanzima was married to an 18-year-old matric learner, a Swazi princess, in a private traditional ceremony at the Qamata Great Place near here over the weekend.
Zwelenkosi, 34, who is almost double the age of his Swazi bride, is the grandson of former Transkei president Kaizer Daliwonga (KD) Matanzima. The new bride, Princess Gcinile Dlamini, is the daughter of Swazi Prince Sipho Dlamini, son of the late King Sobhuza. The marriage is seen as a step that will "unite the Swazi and Thembu royal houses". Elders from the Thembu royal house identified the young princess as a suitable candidate to be the bride and introduced Zwelenkosi to her. This weekend's ceremony - which included Thembu rites like utsiki, ukutyiswa kwamasi and the naming of the bride - was attended by close family members. The Thembus named the beautiful bride "Nqabayesizwe" which means "the fort of the nation". Although the ritual would traditionally welcome the king's new bride as the mother of the kingdom, "Nqabayesizwe" returned to her home in Swaziland the next day to complete her matric exams. "The bride will be encouraged to continue with her studies. It's a good thing to do. Probably they will pursue their tertiary studies together," said family spokesperson Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima. It is not clear when she will rejoin the Matanzimas, but it may be next year. A bigger wedding event will be probably take place then, but the date is yet to be set between the two royal houses. Ngangomhlaba, who is also the chairperson of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, said although the newlyweds had been introduced to each other, their match had nevertheless been a romantic one. "Elders of the two royal houses found the wife, then it was left between the two (of them). Fortunately after he proposed to her secretly the princess loved our son. It was an agreement between them and the families," said Ngangomhlaba. He said negotiations between the families started in December last year. Zwelenkosi's father, Chief Mthetho Matanzima, died in September 1972, but because his father was still alive he never took the throne and the crown was passed directly to Zwelenkosi. However, according to Thembu custom, he could not be crowned because he was not married. Elders told the Daily Dispatch that the weekend wedding indicated that the new king would be installed soon, but they declined to give further details. "AbaThembu have been anxiously waiting for the the mother of the nation," said Ngangomhlaba. He said discussions about lobola had not yet been finalised. However, the Matanzimas had already bought 38 cattle on farms in Swaziland in preparation. A series of meetings will still be held between the two royal houses to discuss the exact figure, he said. Chief Mfundo Bhovulwengwe Mtirara, head of the Maty'engqina traditional authority and also of the Thembu tribe, paid 150 cows in order to marry Princess Nandi Zulu, the daughter of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, last year. In Sunday's ceremony, the Matanzimas prayed to God and asked their ancestors to bless the couple with an heir who would keep the family name alive. The Swazi princess was accompanied to the ceremony by four members of the royal house. The delegation was led by Prince Qethuka Sgombeni Dlamini and included Prince Jahamyam Dlamini, Prince Tsekedi Dlamini, Princess Ntfombinze Dlamini and Induna Ketsiwe Mncina Prince Qethuka urged the Matanzimas "to look after our child as she is too young and still needs parental guidance, care and love".
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