/ 15 April 2012

Zuma to wed fourth wife in private ceremony

Zuma To Wed Fourth Wife In Private Ceremony

President Jacob Zuma is to marry his long-time fiance, Bongi Ngema, next weekend, the Sunday Times reported.

Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj confirmed to the newspaper that the president would formalise his relationship with Ngema at a private traditional ceremony in Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal.

Ngema will be Zuma’s fourth wife. His other wives are Sizakele Khumalo, Nompumelelo Zuma and Thobeka Stacey Mabhija.

He divorced home affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in 1998 while another wife, Kate Zuma, committed suicide in 2000.

The president has a three-year-old son with Ngema. His bride-to-be has already accompanied him on a diplomatic trip to France.

Ngema hails from Umlazi township, south of Durban and has numerous qualifications including a business degree.

The president celebrated his 70th birthday on Friday where Ngema and Zuma’s three wives were on hand to help him cut a R12 500 birthday cake.

The Sunday Times said the president’s Nkandla homestead had been given a R64-million upgrade that included six new double-storey thatch rondavels for his wives and family. — Sapa