Jacob Zuma, the 16th father-in-law

14 July 2024 - 00:00 By Hogarth

Eswatini’s King Mswati III is about to take his 16th wife. Hardly breaking news. But what’s interesting is that the 56-year-old absolute monarch’s latest wife is 21-year-old Nomcebo Zuma, daughter of fellow polygamist Jacob Zuma. It turns out that, just recently, his majesty sent a delegation to Nkandla to present the Nkandla Crooner with 10 cattle as part of the ukucela customary practice that marks the beginning of lobola negotiations. But the ex-prez wasn’t there to welcome them and, if tabloids in both the Swati and Zulu kingdoms are to be believed, he is not really chuffed by the idea of Mswati as a son-in-law. As Nomcebo frequented Eswatini, daddy dearest was of the mistaken view that the king was inviting her for the purpose of marrying her off to one of his sons. So when he found out he had been misled, Zuma apparently boycotted the ceremony. ..

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