# Senteni Masango > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Senteni_Masango > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Senteni_Masango.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senteni_Masango > Source revision: 1348029388 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Queen of Eswatini}} {{Infobox royalty |consort = yes |name = Inkhosikati LaMasango |image = |caption = |reg-type = |regent = |reign = 2000–2018 |coronation = |succession = Queen consort (''Inkhosikati'') of Eswatini |predecessor = |successor2 = |spouse = [Mswati III](/source/Mswati_III) |issue = Princess Sentelweyinhosi
Princess Sibusezweni |house = [House of Dlamini](/source/House_of_Dlamini) (by marriage) |father = |mother = |birth_name = Senteni Masango |birth_date = July 1981 |birth_place = |death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|4|6|1981|7|1|df=yes}} |death_place = |buried = }} '''Senteni Masango''', known after her marriage as '''Inkhosikati LaMasango''', (July 1981 – 6 April 2018) was the eighth Inkhosikati (queen consort) and wife of [Mswati III](/source/Mswati_III) of [Eswatini](/source/Eswatini). == Life == Masango was selected to be a new bride for [Mswati III](/source/Mswati_III) during the 1999 [Uhmlanga ceremony](/source/Umhlanga_(ceremony)). They were married in 2000.{{cite web|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/evewoman/article/2001276199/married-at-18-stayed-alone-king-mswati-s-eighth-wife-allegedly-commits-suicide|title=Married at 18, stayed alone: King Mswati’s eighth wife allegedly commits suicide : Evewoman – The Standard|website=Standardmedia.co.ke|accessdate=18 March 2019}} She gave birth to two children, Princess Sentelweyinkhosi and Princess Sibusezweni. Masango was a painter.{{cite web|url=https://thisisafrica.me/queens-swaziland/|title=Who are the Queens of Swaziland?|date=28 August 2014|website=Thisisafrica.me|accessdate=18 March 2019|archive-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713041952/https://thisisafrica.me/queens-swaziland/|url-status=dead}} She auctioned off her work to raise funds for local charity organizations in Eswatini. == Death == Masango was found dead on 6 April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://clubofmozambique.com/news/king-mswatis-8th-wife-commits-suicide-following-abuse/|title=King Mswati’s 8th wife, Senteni Masango commits suicide following ‘abuse’|website=Clubofmozambique.com|accessdate=18 March 2019}} She had committed suicide by overdosing on [amitriptyline](/source/amitriptyline). She died a week after the death of her sister, Nombuso Masango, whose funeral the king had reportedly forbidden her to attend.{{cite web|url=https://face2faceafrica.com/article/king-mswatis-eighth-wife-senteni-masango-laid-rest-today|title=King Mswati’s eighth wife, Senteni Masango, laid to rest today|date=8 April 2018|website=Face2faceafrica.com|accessdate=18 March 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://allafrica.com/view/group/main/main/id/00060125.html|title=Wife of Swazi King Mswati III Dies of Overdose, Report Says|date=10 April 2018|website=allAfrica.com|accessdate=18 March 2019}} Her funeral was held at the [Ludzidzini Royal Palace](/source/Ludzidzini_Royal_Village) on 8 April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://mpumalanganews.co.za/335120/breaking-news-king-mswatis-8th-wife-commits-suicide/|title=UPDATE: Royal family announces funeral for King Mswati's queen|date=6 April 2018|website=Mpumalangnews.co.za|accessdate=18 March 2019}} == Press scandals == On 12 September 1999 an editor at the ''[Times of Swaziland](/source/Times_of_Swaziland)'', Bheki Makhubu, ran a news story titled ''Fiancée A High School Dropout''.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1999-10-14-9910140099-story.html|title=Wife No. 8 proves royal pain for king; Swaziland: Of hundreds of dancing maidens, African monarch picks out a high school dropout. He loses face, and an editor loses his job.|first=Gilbert A.|last=Lewthwaite|website=baltimoresun.com|accessdate=18 March 2019}} The story reported that Senteni Masango, who was engaged to the king at the time, had dropped out of Ngwane Park High School. The story caused controversy and lead to Makhubu's arrest by the Royal Swaziland Police. He was charged with criminal defamation. He was eventually released on a $500 bail and had his passport revoked. Makhubu was arrested a second time in [Mbabane](/source/Mbabane) after he printed a picture of Masango and another one of the king's wives, who was wearing her academic gown, at a graduation ceremony at the [University of Swaziland](/source/University_of_Swaziland). The headline contrasted Masango as "the dropout" and the other wife as "the graduate." After refusing to issue an apology, Makhubu was fired from the ''Times''.{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/swazi-kings-wife-took-overdose-20180407|title=Swazi king’s wife took overdose|date=8 April 2018|website=News24|accessdate=18 March 2019}} Another press scandal occurred after Masango's death. Photographs of her vigil and funeral at the royal palace were leaked to the press by members of the king's royal guards. The guards were fined for the incident.{{cite web|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201806110320.html|title=Swaziland: King Fines Guards for Leaking Photos|date=11 June 2018|accessdate=18 March 2019|website=AllAfrica.com}} == References == {{Reflist}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Masango, Senteni}} Category:1981 births Category:2018 suicides Category:2018 deaths Category:African queens Category:Drug-related suicides Category:Female suicides Category:Swazi royalty Category:Swazi painters Category:Swazi women painters Category:Suicides in Eswatini --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Senteni Masango](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senteni_Masango) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senteni_Masango?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.