The 21-year-old daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma is marrying Eswatini’s King Mswati III for love, according to a spokesperson for Africa’s last absolute monarchy.
Nomcebo Zuma’s engagement to King Mswati III was officially announced earlier this week, concluding the eight-day reed dance ceremony, a traditional rite of passage for young women and girls held annually.
The 56-year-old monarch is currently in a polygamous marriage with 11 wives and has been married 15 times in total. Eswatini spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo rejected any suggestion that the marriage serves as a political alliance.
“Love has no eyes to see or count age. Love happens between two people. It can happen between a person who is 100 years old and a person who is above the average of what is permitted constitutionally,” he told the BBC’s Newsday programme.
Mr. Zuma, who served as South Africa’s president from 2009 to 2018, and King Mswati are already connected through marriage.
Critics have accused King Mswati, who has ruled by decree for 38 years, of living in opulence with his polygamous household while the majority of his people live in poverty. Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, has a population of 1.1 million and one of the highest HIV/AIDS infection rates globally. The king’s heavy-handed approach to dissent has also drawn criticism.
Eswatini shares strong traditional ties with South Africa’s Zulu monarchy, with the current Zulu king, Misuzulu ka Zwelithini, being Mswati III’s nephew.
Mr. Zuma, who resigned in disgrace over corruption allegations and still faces a court case related to a 1999 arms deal (which he denies), is currently experiencing a political resurgence. His newly formed party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), secured third place in South Africa’s recent general election.
At 82, Zuma remains highly respected among his supporters for his commitment to Zulu cultural and traditional beliefs and has several wives and around 20 children.
Nomcebo Zuma, whose mother is Mr. Zuma’s long-time fiancée Nonkululeko Mhlongo, wore the vibrant colors of the Eswatini kingdom during the final day of the reed dance ceremony at Ludzidzini Royal Palace on Monday.
The Umhlanga ceremony, which aims to promote chastity among participants, allows the king to select a bride from the attendees. Nomcebo was presented as the “liphovela,” or royal fiancée, during this year’s ceremony.
King Mswati has previously faced criticism over the ages of his brides. In 2005, he chose 17-year-old Phindile Nkambule as a wife shortly after lifting a ban on sexual relations for girls under 18. This ban, originally imposed in 2001 to combat HIV/AIDS, had been briefly in effect before he imposed a fine on himself for breaking it by marrying a minor as his ninth wife.
