Daughter of South Africa’s ex-President Jacob Zuma to wed Eswatini king ‘for love’

There are strong traditional ties between Eswatini and South Africa’s Zulu monarchy – the current Zulu king, Misuzulu ka Zwelithini, is Mswati III’s nephew.

Mr Zuma, who resigned in disgrace over corruption allegations during his presidency and still faces a court case over a 1999 arms deal (he denies any wrong-doing), is currently enjoying a political renaissance.

His newly formed party uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) came third in South Africa’s general election this year.

The 82-year-old is also greatly respected by his supporters for upholding his cultural and traditional Zulu beliefs – and has several wives and is thought to have 20 children.

Nomcebo, whose mother is his long-standing fiancée Nonkululeko Mhlongo, was dressed in the bright colours of the Eswatini kingdom on the last day of the reed dance ceremony at the Ludzidzini Royal Palace on Monday.

Known as the Umhlanga ceremony, it is intended to discourage those taking part from becoming sexually active at a young age.

The king is allowed to choose a bride from the participants – and on this occasion Ms Zuma was presented as the “liphovela”, which means royal fiancée in Swati.

He has faced scrutiny in the past over the age of his brides. In 2005, he chose 17-year-old Phindile Nkambule for a wife – a few days after he had rescinded a ban on sexual relations for girls younger than 18.

Just two months after it had originally been imposed in 2001 – to help fight HIV/Aids – he had fined himself a cow for breaking the ban as he had married a 17-year-old as his ninth wife.