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

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

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At the reed dance Nomcebo Zuma was presented as the “liphovela”, which means which means royal fiancée in Swati

The 21-year-old daughter of South *******’s former President Jacob Zuma is marrying the Eswatini king for love, a spokesman for *******’s last remaining absolute monarchy has told the BBC.

Nomcebo Zuma’s engagement to King Mswati III was made official earlier this week at the end of the eight-day reed dance ceremony – a traditional rite of passage for young women and ****** held every year.

The 56-year-old monarch is currently in a polygamous arrangement with 11 wives – and has been married 15 times in total.

Eswatini spokesman Alpheous Nxumalo dismissed outright the suggestion that the marriage would be 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,”

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.

Mr Zuma, who was president of South ******* from 2009 until 2018, and King Mswati are already relatives through marriage.

Critics accuse King Mswati, who rules by decree and has been on the throne for 38 years, of living in luxury with his polygamous household – while most of his people languish in ********.

Eswatini, previously known as Swaziland, has a population of 1.1 million and one of the world’s highest rates of ****/Aids infection.

The heavy-handed treatment of the king’s opponents in Eswatini, which is almost entirely surrounded by South *******, has also come in for criticism.

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King Mswati – seen here at last year’s reed dance – has faced scrutiny in the past over the age of his brides

There are strong traditional ties between Eswatini and South *******’s Zulu monarchy – the current Zulu king,

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, is Mswati III’s nephew.

Mr Zuma, who resigned in disgrace over *********** 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)

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.

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 ********* 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,

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– a few days after he had rescinded a ban on ******* relations for ****** younger than 18.

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

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