South Africa

IN PICTURES | Songs ring out in KZN as Zulu nation prepares to bury its queen

05 May 2021 - 20:26 By zimasa matiwane

Zimasa Matiwane Reporter

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Mourners gather around the Queen's casket ahead of her private burial.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

The remains of the Zulu regent arrived at her final resting place in KwaNongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.

Kwakhangela Royal Palace was a hive of activity, albeit with a sombre mood prevailing, as the Zulu nation welcomed Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu.

The remains of Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu arrived at her final resting place, KwaNongoma, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Queen Mantfombi's mortal remains made their way from Johannesburg, where she took her last breath, through Mpumalanga, to the Kwakhangela palace.

Isiphithiphithi, amabutho, and izintombi welcomed the Queen with renditions of traditional songs.

The funeral procession of Queen regent Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu makes its way to her palace and final resting place at KwaNongoma, in northern KwaZulu
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Isiphithiphithi forms a guard of honour for the arrival of Queen regent Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu's mortal remains to Kwakhangela Royal Palace KwaNongoma, in northern KwaZulu.
Image: Sandile Nlovu

Maidens' final rendition of Zulu traditional songs for the Queen's send off ahead of her private burial.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Zulu maidens await the arrival of the body of the Zulu queen Mantfombi Dlamini
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Commander of the Zulu regiments Mgiliji Nhleko leads amabutho to Kwakhangela Royal Palace for the arrival of regent Queen's remains.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Isiphithiphithi forms a guard of honour for the arrival of Queen regent Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu's mortal remains to Kwakhangela Royal Palace KwaNongoma, in northern KwaZulu.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Mourners during the arrival of Queen regent Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu to her palace and final resting place at KwaNongoma, in northern KwaZulu
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Queen Mantfombi was born in 1956 in Swaziland, daughter of King Sombhuza II.

Many women who ushered the queen home were adorned in clothes bearing the faces of the late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu and King Mswati III, the queen's brother. She served as queen consort of the Zulu kingdom as the Great Wife to King Goodwill Zwelithini for 44 years.

Queen Mantfombi had eight children, the first born in 1974 and the youngest in 1991.

Mourners gather around the Queen's casket ahead of her private burial.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

#QueenMantfombiDlaminiZulu
Has now entered a place she called home for the last time.
She will be laid to rest in the early hours of Thursday morning. pic.twitter.com/JcWvciKbBd
— ZimasaMatiwane (@ZimasaMatiwane) May 5, 2021

She will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at dawn on Thursday morning. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a special provincial official funeral which is set to take place on Friday night.

Queen Mantfombi died shortly after the death of her husband King Goodwill Zwelithini, who died in March.

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