Renowned author and cultural commentator Khaya Dlanga has spoken out to clarify the nature of a recent celebration involving media personality Anele Mdoda, which sparked speculation that she had officially tied the knot.

Not a Western Wedding
Contrary to the public’s assumption, Dlanga explained that the event was not a wedding in the Western sense, but rather the final stage of the lobola process rooted in isiXhosa culture.

Khaya Dlanga
Khaya Dlanga

“Just to clarify, what took place was not a wedding,” he shared on social media. “It was the final stage of the lobola process, along with a ceremony called ukwamkela abakhwenyana, which is to say the formal acceptance of the groom by the bride’s family.”

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Cultural Context Matters
Dlanga urged the public to avoid equating cultural terminology such as “bride” and “groom” with Western wedding customs. He emphasized that in traditional isiXhosa practices, these terms do not automatically indicate that a legal or Western-style wedding has occurred.

Khaya Dlanga clarifies Anele Mdoda’s ceremony