Former South African President Jacob Zuma allegedly stormed out of lobola negotiations when a delegation of eSwatini royals arrived to ask for his 21-year-old daughter Nomcebo’s hand in marriage on behalf of his 56-year-old friend, King Mswati III.
Zuma, known for his polygamous lifestyle, was reportedly infuriated by the proposal, as he had been under the impression that Nomcebo would marry one of King Mswati’s sons.
According to The Mercury, senior members of the eSwatini and Zulu royal families visited Zuma’s Nkandla homestead last week, presenting 10 cattle as part of the “kucela” customary practice. However, as reported by Sunday World, Zuma abruptly left the meeting upon learning the true intent of the visit.
“I’ve never seen uNxamalala (Zuma) losing it like that. He tried to hide it, but you could tell that he was angry,” said an insider who spoke on condition of anonymity. “He just stood up and said, ‘seniyosala niqhubeka bafana bakithi’ (I won’t be a part of this, you will have to carry on without me, my brothers). He then left, leaving all of us shocked.”
Another source close to the eSwatini royal family commented, “Zuma felt betrayed by King Mswati as he had initially informed Zuma that he wanted his daughter to marry into the royal family. It was only later that the former president became aware that King Mswati wanted Nomcebo for himself.”
This is not the first romantic link between Zuma’s family and the Swati royal family. Zuma once dated one of King Mswati’s sisters, Princess Sebentile Dlamini, though they never married. In October 2017, Zuma’s son, Mxolisi, married Princess Ziyanda Dlamini, paying 120 cattle for his bride, who is the daughter of Prince Fanyana Dlamini.
King Mswati reportedly first saw Nomcebo during last year’s 55-55 celebrations. It is understood that she will be introduced to the king’s mother soon and unveiled to the nation during the Reed Dance in eSwatini, tentatively set for September 2.
Meanwhile, unrest is brewing within King Mswati’s own household as his wives reportedly oppose the new marriage. Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini revealed, “One of the king’s wives is my source of the story; she leaked the information to me because she is not happy that his majesty has decided to take a new wife as he is failing to take good care of the ones he already has.”
As this saga unfolds, it highlights the complex intersections of tradition, family, and political alliances within the royal and political spheres of Southern Africa.
