Swazi king Mswati the third has gotten himself a new bride. Her name is Siphelele Mashwama the daughter of a Swaziland Cabinet minister, Jabulile Mashwama. The Swazi king unveiled his new bride after long speculations about the royalty’s plans to have a fourteenth wife.
The 19-year-old Siphelele Mashwama was confirmed the new bride for the Swazi King Mswati by royal festivities overseer, Hlangabeza Mdluli who revealed that the new bride is currently in New York in the United States, where the king (49) is attending the United Nations General Assembly.
Swazi king Mswati is also said to have over 13 children which include his eldest daughter HRH Princess Sikhanyiso, Sibahle Dlamini, Makhosothando Dlamini, Majaha Dlamini, Tiyandza Dlamini, Sakhizwe Dlamini, Saziwangaye Dlamini, Bandzile Dlamini, Lindaninkosi Dlamini, Mcwasho Dlamini, Temtsimba Dlamini and Temaswati Dlamini among others.
In Swaziland, tens of thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi girls and women travel from the various chiefdoms to Ludzidzini to participate in the eight-day event and would-be brides are publicly checked to ascertain that their virginity was still intact. It would be recalled that the 49-year old Swazi king Mswati who calls himself ngweyama, “the lion”, had months back kicked against people filing for a divorce, saying it was against the culture of Swaziland. “In our culture, once you marry someone, there is no turning back. There is no word for “divorce” in Siswati, the official language of Swaziland, the Lion said.
