AmaZulu king moves reed dance ceremony to new venue
READ: KZN premier hikes AmaZulu Royal House budget to R86 million
This follows completion of a R140-million amphitheatre at Enyokeni by the KwaZulu-Natal government, in anticipation of this year's dance. KZN Public Works and Infrastructure MEC, Martin Meyer discussed this with eNCA.
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Huge cash lure for a date with Joburg stallions
Gustav Klimt and Morpheus are waiting beneath Paardekop. Joburg gets a bad rap. Some criticism is justified: the way the city is run is shameful. But some badmouthing isn't: the people are generally a lot more friendly and accommodating than residents of other, supposedly more genteel, places; the energy and work ethic is a level above; and many areas are quite beautiful. So, Joburgers can feel a bit ambivalent about their dump. You hear this come through when Nigel Riley talks about his Heversham thoroughbred stud, situated south of Joburg in Daleside Valley, overlooked by Paardekop. Riley, a former racehorse trainer now (amazingly) a prominent legal advocate, and his partner Willem Ackerman, have put huge resources into building up Heversham to the highest levels of the modern stud farm. They stand some of the best-pedigreed stallions in South Africa yet have 'difficulties geographically' in getting mares from other parts of the country to visit these mighty males. Joburg doesn't sound cool, perhaps. But perhaps Joburg money can talk loudly enough to drown out prejudice. Huge incentives Heversham has come up with a breeding incentive scheme unlike anything seen before in this country. It is offering cash rewards of nearly R90-million over two years to the connections of mares that are sent north for a liaison with one of two newly imported stallions. Waiting for the ladies beneath Paardekop are Gustav Klimt, an Irish-bred, Group-winning son of Galileo, and British-bred Morpheus, a half-brother of the mighty Frankel and brother of a Breeders' Cup winner. For the first Grade 1-winning offspring of early crops of both these sires, the breeding farms and the owners of the mothers get R10-million each, in cash, from Heversham, while buyers of the youngsters get R2-million each. Speaking on a recent Race Coast podcast, Riley opined that, with this temptation, 'Anyone with half a brain should be sending their best mare!' With the annual broodmare-covering season starting in a fortnight's time, breeders down-country might be looking at Joburg with new eyes. Heversham offers lesser incentives for visitors to their other stallions: under-valued Pomodoro, under-served Time Thief, former top racers Jackson and MK's Pride, and Aussie import Moofeed, a well-performed grandson of Danehill. Coming up in the future is The Equator, the Coolmore-bred son of Galileo who was an impressive winner at Turffontein recently. The old Transvaal was once thriving stud country. Could it regain some of that old-gold glister?
IOL News
a day ago
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KZN Treasury side-steps additional funding for Reed Dance festival venue-change ordered by King Misuzulu
King Misuzulu has moved this year's Reed Dance festival from Enyokeni palace to Mashobeni Palace. Image: Bongani Mbatha/ Independent Newspapers KwaZulu-Natal's Treasury said it will not provide additional funding for this year's Reed Dance festival to compensate for the extra costs incurred by king Misuzulu kaZwelithini's decision to move the event away from the R140 million amphitheatre at Enyokeni royal palace. It came as a surprise when the king announced at the weekend that the September event will be held at Mashobeni Palace in Pongola in the north-east of the province, and not the recently completed 2,000 capacity Enyokeni amphitheatre, which had been built to accommodate guests attending the event. The move meant that the government may need extra funding to cater for VIP marquees and toilets, which would not be necessary if the festival remained at the original venue. However, Finance MEC Francois Rodgers dismissed fears that the cash-strapped provincial government would have to bear the additional costs. The department's spokesperson Nkosikhona Duma said it will be up to the department of Arts and Culture as well as the Office of the Premier to reprioritise their budgets to accommodate the venue swop. 'MEC Rodgers posits that the provincial fiscus is constrained, therefore no additional funds will be provided for this move. The MEC continues with efforts to ensure that the AmaZulu Royal household gets to a position of self-sustenance so that it may play a role in funding moves of a similar kind,' said Duma. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ An official from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said the department had pushed contractors to finish the Enyokeni project early as the venue was already accommodated in the budget and it was declared ready for the September event on Friday. The provincial government through the Public Works department spent R140 on building the amphitheatre at Enyokeni. The R140 million Enyokeni Royal Precinct building, which can house 2,000 guests, was expected to be used for this year's Reed Dance festival. Image: Willem Phungula The dome-designed structure was requested by Misuzulu's father, the late King Goodwill Zwelithini for the purpose of the reed dance and has facilities which do not require the hiring of VIP marquees or toilets. The government was expected to bear the extra cost of makeshift pavilion seating at Mashobeni, where maidens and the public will gather for the king's address, after the presentation of reeds by the maidens. In defending his venue-change decision, the king said he was honouring Queen Nandi and King Shaka, who had a palace in the area. 'I am aware that many are used to this event being held in eNyokeni. Today, I wish to announce that the event will now be held here at Mashobeni palace on 12 to 14 September. We are sorry to those who wanted the event to continue at Enyokeni palace. My decision is in line with the fact that Queen Nandi and King Shaka lived here so it's important to revive his palace,' said Misuzulu at the weekend. KZN Public Works and Infrastructure MEC, Martin Meyer, said he had noted the announcement made by the king to move the ceremony to Mashobeni royal residence, however, he said his department was just an implementing agent as per the mandate given on each project by a client department. 'In this matter the client was the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture along with the Office of The Premier. Therefore any queries would be best placed before those offices.' Arts and Culture spokesperson Ntando Mnyando said his department could not say anything further about the decision as its' duty is to organise events wherever the king and royal family want them to be. The Premier's Office was yet to comment on the matter. The royal family's spokesperson Prince Thulani Zulu had also not commented on Treasury's announcement.
IOL News
a day ago
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Questions over R154m spent at royal palace as King moves Reed Dance venue
PRINCESS Sihle Mdhluli, the Zulu king's new bride-to-be, seen at the uMkhosi weSivivane held at the eMashobeni Royal Palace. The palace will now play host to all major ceremonies of the Zulu nation per the King Misuzulu kaZwelithini's decreee. THE almost complete R154 million eNyokeni Royal Palace building, whose future is unclear following King Misuzulu kaZwelithini's announcement that all major ceremonies for the Zulu nation will be held at the eMashobeni Royal Palace. The building was expected to be used for this year's uMkhosi woMhlanga (Reed Dance). SONG and dance was also part of the uMkhosi weSivivane which was held at the eMashobeni Royal Palace, in oPhongolo, northern KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend. The ceremony which is held every August, celebrates the power of women and is also a platform to discuss social ills and challenges facing women. The decision by King Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini to move the Zulu nation's flagship ceremonies from eNyokeni Royal Palace to the recently built eMashobeni Royal Palace has sparked questions over the future of a R154 million government-funded building at eNyokeni. For nearly four decades, eNyokeni in Nongoma has hosted the iconic uMkhosi woMhlanga (Reed Dance), a celebration of young women's chastity revived by the late King Goodwill Zwelithini. The KwaZulu-Natal government funded construction at the site to make it more accommodating for attendees, including a permanent structure designed to eliminate the costly annual hire of marquees. The project is nearing completion, with officials having visited the site just two months ago. However, during the recent uMkhosi weSivivane ceremony, King Misuzulu announced that all major royal events will now be held at eMashobeni Palace in eMpakama, oPhongolo, in northern KwaZulu-Natal. These include the Reed Dance and uMkhosi wokweShwama (First Fruits Festival), which was hosted there earlier this year. The move has raised concerns that the eNyokeni development could become a white elephant. Neither the king's spokesperson, Prince Thulani Zulu, nor KZN Arts and Culture spokesperson Ntando Mnyandu would be drawn on the future use of the eNyokeni facility. Prince Thulani said he would issue a statement after consulting the king, while Mnyandu said the department was not ready to comment. The relocation also comes with questions about whether eMashobeni has the infrastructure to accommodate an event as large as the Reed Dance, scheduled for next month. This year marked the first time that uMkhosi weSivivane, an August event celebrating women's empowerment, mentorship, and social cohesion, was hosted at eMashobeni. Addressing attendees, King Misuzulu urged the nation to accept the shift. 'I know all of us were used to all ceremonies being held at eNyokeni Palace, but we must accept this change. Tradition dictates what should happen. UMkhosi wokweShwama was held here, and it precedes all royal family ceremonies, that is why today's event is here too,' he said. Cultural experts say the move is unprecedented in recent history. Professor Sihawu Ngubane of the University of KwaZulu-Natal noted that the late King Zwelithini never relocated the umsamo (sacred altar) from eNyokeni, even though his main residence shifted from KwaKhethomthandayo to KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace. 'We are shocked because we were used to eNyokeni,' Ngubane said, although he stressed that the move is not in itself against tradition. With millions already invested and the Reed Dance days away, the fate of the eNyokeni project, and the traditions it has long symbolised, remains uncertain. The new palace is also home to the king's new bride-to-be, Princess Sihle Mdhluli, from the Mdhluli royal family in Mpumalanga.
