JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African newspaper reports that the annual Zulu Reed Dance ceremony was disrupted by hallucinating girls who swarmed the country's president.

The Star newspaper reported on Monday that teenage girls heard voices and rushed toward the area where President Jacob Zuma and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini were seated during the Saturday ceremony in KwaZulu-Natal province.

Zuma's spokesman, Bongani Majola, said there was a commotion but it posed no danger to the president.

Nomagugu Ngobese, the head of a cultural group that trains the young women, said the event was marred by evil spirts. She said some of the dancers began screaming in the crowd, causing panic among the others who scattered, but did not run toward the president.

Thousands of young women participate in the annual Reed Dance.