Ex-president’s daughter gets engaged to African monarch

Nomcebo Zuma’s betrothal to King Mswati III was confirmed at a traditional dance ceremony

Nomcebo Zuma, daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, confirmed her engagement to King Mswati III of Eswatini during an annual Reed Dance ceremony held on Monday.  

The event at Ludzidzini Royal Village in Lobamba, southeast of the capital Mbabane, serves as a traditional rite of womanhood. The 56-year-old monarch, who has ruled Eswatini since 1986, often uses the Reed Dance to select a new wife, while he’s already married to 15 women.  

Nomceba Zuma, 21, was formally introduced as the ‘liphovela,’ meaning royal fiancée or concubine, during the festivities. She joined other women in colorful traditional dress, some carrying imitation swords and shields, dancing before the king and his entourage. 

Mswati has faced criticism for his extravagant lifestyle, while nearly 60% of Eswatini’s population lives on less than 169 rupees ($1.90) a day.

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Polygamy in Eswatini is legal but uncommon due to the high costs associated with bridal prices. The country operates a dual legal system, comprising common law, which is based on Roman-Dutch principles, and traditional Swazi law, which is unwritten. While polygamous marriages are predominantly conducted under traditional law, they can also occur under civil law in some cases. 

Jacob Zuma, Nomceba Zuma’s father, stepped down as South African president in 2018 amid corruption allegations. Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2021, after he was found to have refused to attend a court-ordered tribunal that investigated systematic corruption in state institutions during his presidency between 2009 and 2018. 

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In April, Zuma officially became the leader of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), a new opposition coalition he joined last year after defecting from the ruling African National Congress (ANC), the party that helped him win two presidential elections. Zuma’s prison sentence disqualified him from running for a seat in parliament. However, he has remained the leader of the MK Party.