Zuma's nephew takes Swazi princess as wife 'No 1'

Khulubuse Zuma, taking after his polygamous uncle President Jacob Zuma, yesterday married one of his four fiancées - Swazi princess Fikisiwe Dlamini.

Known for his lavish lifestyle, Zuma did not let the plight of the thousands of workers left impoverished by the collapse of his Aurora mining company spoil the massive wedding party for 5000 guests at his multimillion-rand home in Nkandla.

With his uncle among the guests, Zuma married the woman he said he had loved from the moment they first met.

She happens to be the younger sister of the president's own fiancée, Sebentile Dlamini.

The younger Zuma enjoys all the trappings of the good life, including a R2.5-million gull-wing Mercedes-Benz SLS 63 AMG, and is known to spend up to R15000 on a night out.

In 2011, he gave Dlamini a silver Maserati that retails for between R1-million and R1.6-million.

Yesterday's wedding was no different, despite facing a court case in which former Orkney mine employees are demanding unpaid salaries and other benefits owed to them since 2009 and now estimated at about R28-million.

Seven huge marquees were erected on the grounds of Zuma's mansion to cater for guests and villagers who feasted on 16 cattle slaughtered for the ceremony.

The celebrations will be concluded today with umabo ceremony today - where the bride's family presents gifts to the groom's family.

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini also gave Khulubuse four beasts to be slaughtered.

Fikisiwe, who arrived with her bridal entourage in Nkandla on Friday night, was yesterday clad in traditional Swazi attire and will today change to Zulu finery as required by custom.

Khulubuse was clad in ibheshu (cowhide) and sprinkled a drop of goat's bile over the bride's head, which symbolised her welcome to the Zuma family.

In return, Dlamini handed a spear to Khulubuse - a sign that she accepted him as her husband.

The couple met about 10 years ago when Fikisiwe visited Sebentile, who was living with Zuma at Nkandla at the time.

Khulubuse, 44, proposed in 2005 and paid lobolo of 100 head of cattle at King Mswati's Ludzidzini Palace outside Mbabane in October last year.

Fikisiwe, 33, who owns several boutiques in Swaziland, is the daughter of Mswati's brother, Prince Phiwokwakhe Dlamini, who died in 2005.

Khulubuse told the Sunday Times during an interview two weeks ago that he fell in love with Fikisiwe the day he met her at Zuma's home.

She is one of Khulubuse's four fianceés but has "always been my number one".