Swazi king denies eyeing beauty queen
Dec 16, 2002
An aide to Swaziland’s King Mswati III denied in remarks published that Africa’s last absolute monarch was eyeing the country’s beauty queen as his 12th bride.
An aide to Swaziland’s King Mswati III denied in remarks published that Africa’s last absolute monarch was eyeing the country’s beauty queen as his 12th bride.
A royal source told AFP on Monday that 20-year-ole Nozipho Shabangu was expected to be taken to the king’s traditional capital of Ludzidzini outside Mbabane when she arrived back from the pageant in London.
The source said a royal emissary, Tulujane Skhondze, had been assigned to meet Sabangu at Swaziland’s Matsapha Airport.
King Mswati, 34, currently has nine wives and two fiancées. His father, King Sobhuza II, had more than 70 wives at his death in 1982.
The mother of one of the fiancées, 18-year-old Zena Mahlangu, recently took palace aides to court for kidnapping her daughter, but the case collapsed when the mother, Lindiwe Dlamini , decided to postpone it indefinitely after talking to her daughter, who assured her she was happy in her new role.
Sikhondze told the Times of Swaziland the king had no interest in Miss Swaziland.
“There is no truth in the whole matter, “ she said.
“ The king carefully chooses his bride, and he does not just grab any girl he comes across and make her a wife!â€
AFP
A royal source told AFP on Monday that 20-year-ole Nozipho Shabangu was expected to be taken to the king’s traditional capital of Ludzidzini outside Mbabane when she arrived back from the pageant in London.
The source said a royal emissary, Tulujane Skhondze, had been assigned to meet Sabangu at Swaziland’s Matsapha Airport.
King Mswati, 34, currently has nine wives and two fiancées. His father, King Sobhuza II, had more than 70 wives at his death in 1982.
The mother of one of the fiancées, 18-year-old Zena Mahlangu, recently took palace aides to court for kidnapping her daughter, but the case collapsed when the mother, Lindiwe Dlamini , decided to postpone it indefinitely after talking to her daughter, who assured her she was happy in her new role.
Sikhondze told the Times of Swaziland the king had no interest in Miss Swaziland.
“There is no truth in the whole matter, “ she said.
“ The king carefully chooses his bride, and he does not just grab any girl he comes across and make her a wife!â€
AFP