Carpeted comfort for Zulu maidens‚ as Durban spends R1.6m on reed dance

While thousands of maidens attending this year’s annual reed dance will have to put up with sleeping on buses and on the floor in marquees‚ 6‚000 maidens from Durban will sleep on carpets worth almost R500‚000‚ hired by the eThekwini Municipality.

The municipality has budgeted R1.6-million for the three-day reed dance (Umkhosi WoMhlanga) festival which takes place at King Goodwill Zwelithini’s eNyokeni Palace in Nongoma next week‚ starting from Friday until Sunday.

The expenditure was approved by the municipal full council on Thursday. Durban mayor Zandile Gumede said the support was given to the maidens to ensure that they were “safe and comfortable” while attending the reed dance.

The funding will be used for transport‚ accommodation and catering for the maidens from Durban attending the reed dance.

A report submitted to the executive committee this week stated that there were two carpets‚ each measuring 30mx70m. Each cost R240‚000 which involved transporting‚ setting down and removal of the carpet after the event. The carpets would be used for maidens to sleep on in marquees.

Gumede also revealed that plans were in place to build a permanent structure to house maidens in Nongoma to reduce costs at a later stage‚ saying‚ however‚ accommodation had to be provided for maidens this year.

The city has budgeted R288‚000 for catering for the maidens and this was for 4‚800 meal packs. A total of R78‚000 was allocated for accommodation for officials‚ which will include 20 councillors‚ amakhosi and four senior officials expected to attend the event.

The city will provide 42 buses at a cost of R756‚000 and R30‚000 for two buses for the disabled.

Accommodation has been a huge headache for thousands of maidens attending the ceremony‚ which often takes place in inclement weather conditions. At one stage virginity testers had to force maidens who had sought shelter in their buses because of rain‚ back to the venue to save King Zwelithini the embarrassment of addressing an empty stadium.

A new facility being built to accommodate the maidens was put on hold after a forensic investigation found that it could cost taxpayers a staggering R1-billion.

A report by Gobodo Forensics and Investigative Accounting tabled in Parliament in May revealed that prices for the eNyokeni Cultural Precinct had been inflated and consultants charged as much as 200% more than the usual industry rates.

The project‚ which was requested by the king from the national Department of Arts‚ and Culture‚ was intended to provide accommodation‚ bathing facilities and toilets for the maidens.

There have been concerns about the safety of the young women who are forced to bathe in the open and sleep on buses and taxis. Incidents of sexual harassment have been reported.