Pietermaritzburg – Attendees at the traditional wedding of Dr. Zweli Mkhize’s son, Dedanimabhunu Mkhize, which took place on Saturday in Pietermaritzburg, included prominent figures from South African politics, business, and traditional leadership. Even though Mkhize junior and his wife, Sithokozile Mthembu, are already legally wed, he wanted to celebrate their union with a traditional Zulu ritual called uMgcagco.Although Dedani Mkhize is already officially married to his wife, Sithokozile Mthembu, he decided to host a traditional Zulu ceremony known as uMgcagco. Picture: Sihle Mavuso

The ceremony quickly became the topic of conversation in the KwaZulu-Natal capital city, and it drew an equal number of attendees from inside the region as well as from farther afield. The enormous Mkhize mansion contained a number of marquees, each of which was designated for a specific visitor on the basis of their position in society.

The event was not going to start until at least 2 o’clock in the afternoon, despite the fact that it had been formally scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Mkhize senior, accompanied by Zulu soldiers, emerged from one of the rondavels in the complex during a period of cold and rainy weather to retrieve his son from another residence in the enclosure. They navigated their way through the jubilant well-wishers and made their way to another tent outside the house, which was where the most of the dancing for the day took place. Zulu regiments and maidens were among those who took the lead during the dancing.

 
On occasion, Mkhize junior would dance to traditional Zulu songs that contained hidden meanings, including one song that was about a stray gunshot that entered a house via a window. Another song spoke to individuals “who are freaking out.” Traditional Zulu songs are frequently arbitrarily constructed depending on someone living at the time of the song’s composition, and they often take potshots at opponents, whether they are actual or imagined.

It is thought that Mkhize senior will be one of the candidates for the president of the African National Congress (ANC), which will be up for grabs in December when the party will have its election conference. Mkhize will go up against the current president, Cyril Ramaphosa, if he chooses to accept the nomination. Ramaphosa’s followers have already given their support to him for a second term.