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WORLD> Africa
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Zuma's dilemma: 2 wives, 1 first lady
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-24 07:47 KWANXAMALALA, South Africa: There's little question who will lead South Africa after Wednesday's national election. The real mystery lies in who will be the country's first lady. As Jacob Zuma, the man preordained to be the country's next president, voted in his rural Zulu homeland on Wednesday, one of his two current wives stood to the side watching patiently as he was mobbed by cheering crowds and reporters.
But Nompumelelo Ntuli, 34, Zuma's newest and youngest wife, was soon attracting her own crowd of admirers. Women whispered, "Isn't she beautiful!" as Ntuli decked out in an apricot and blue tie-dye outfit beamed happily. "Jesus is Lord!" is all she would say in response to questions. Zuma, 67, a Zulu traditionalist and an unabashed polygamist, has married at least four women over the years. Only two are still with him: Sizakele Khumalo, whom he married in 1973, and Ntuli, whom he wed last year. Of the other two, Kate Mantsho Zuma, committed suicide in 2000. He divorced the other, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, in 1998, although she remains a trusted aide and as the country's foreign affairs minister is expected to join his cabinet. He is said to have more than 10 children. South African law recognizes such traditional marriages, though fewer and fewer younger South Africans are entering into them because they are seen as expensive and old-fashioned. It remains common among several tribes, though, including the Zulus and Swazis. To this point, neither of his wives has played much of a public role in his life or politics. Khumalo presides over the family compound near the school where Zuma voted in KwaNxamalala. She is known to be shy, and was not spotted on Wednesday. Ntuli, who uses her maiden name as is customary in polygamous marriages to differentiate among the wives, has been slightly more active outside the home. She organized a prayer meeting in southeastern South Africa earlier this year, calling for political tolerance, and established a community development foundation. Overwhelming victory With Zuma's African National Congress party predicting an overwhelming victory in the parliamentary election, whose results are expected late yesterday, the first lady question is making headlines. Early results yesterday showed the African National Congress with 64.9 percent, battering the hopes of the Congress of the People party, formed by ANC dissidents, that it might pose the first real challenge since the end of apartheid in 1994.
Parliament elects South Africa's president, putting Zuma, the ANC leader, in line for the post when the new assembly votes in May. Neither Zuma or the ANC have offered any answers to the question, saying the matter of his marriages is personal. The Sunday Times newspaper in South Africa quoted Don Mkhwanazi, a trustee of the Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust, as saying Zuma most likely will be guided by tradition and choose his first wife, Sizakele, to act in that capacity. Zuma usually is unaccompanied at official functions. His daughter Duduzile, a staunch supporter who has been seen on the campaign trail recording his activities with a small video camera, also could be a possible official escort. |
