‘R2 million and 100 cattle’: Will Jacob Zuma’s daughter Nomcebo be King Mswati’s 16th wife?

Amid rumours of a R2-million lobola from King Mswati III on the table, Jacob Zuma’s 21-year-old daughter, Nomcebo, made her first public appearance in eSwatini last Monday.

Nomcebo was seen donning eSwatini regalia alongside the king’s 15th wife, Siphelele Mashwama, at the opening of a R50 million chicken project in the kingdom.

King Mswati III married Mashwa­ma in September 2017. In October 2022, she accompanied him to Zulu King MisuZulu kaZwelithini’s coronation as his chosen wife for the occasion.

According to Sunday World, Nomcebo Zuma, 21, daughter of Former President Jacob Zuma, was this week unveiled as King Mswati III's official girlfriend in eSwatini.

King Mswati is expected to pay a lobolo of R2 million and 100 cattle for Nomcebo. pic.twitter.com/B0HbBMxlQg

— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) July 21, 2024

Who is Nomcebo Zuma?

The 56-year-old ruler of the last remaining absolute monarchy in Africa has 15 wives and 36 children while Zuma, South Africa’s former president and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader, has six wives.

Nomcebo is the daughter of Zuma and Nonkululeko Hloniphile Mhlongo (MaMhlongo). Despite the couple sharing two children, MaMhlongo is not legally married to Zuma.

It is rumoured that Nomcebo caught the king’s eye during the double celebration of his birthday and the country’s 55th Independence Day anniversary held at the Somhlolo National Stadium, in Lobamba, eSwatini, last year.  

Father or son? Jacob Zuma walks out of negotiations

According to a Sunday World report, three independent sources revealed to the publication that King Mswati is expected to pay R2 million and 100 head of cattle as lobola for Nomcebo.

This latest development comes after a “livid” Zuma apparently abandoned lobola negotiations at the Nxamalala homestead in Nkandla, northern KwaZulu-Natal, two weeks ago.

The former president was under the impression that King Mswati wanted his son, who is in his 30s, to marry the MK party leader’s young daughter.

During the negotiations, however, it came to light that the king himself was eyeing Nomcebo as the latest addition to his own cohort of wives.

With or without Zuma…

Sunday World reported that after Zuma stormed out of the meeting, MaMhlongo apparently told everyone that the negotiations would go on – with or without Zuma.

An insider told the publication:

“I’ve never seen uNxamalala [Zuma] losing it like that. He tried to hide it, but you could tell he was angry,” said the insider.

Nomcebo a frequent visitor to eSwatini

News of Nomcebo frequenting the kingdom of eSwatini first came to light in a report by Swaziland News on 8 July.

According to the publication, King Mswati allegedly sent his representatives to meet the Zuma family to present them with 10 cattle as part of the kucela customary practice.

An investigation conducted by Swaziland News allegedly uncovered immigration records suggesting that Nomcebo was frequently visiting eSwatini from as far back as 13 March 2024 through the Lavumisa and Oshoek-Ngwenya border gates.

Is Nomcebo Zuma King Mswati’s ‘liphovela’?

In siSwati, liphovela is an official girlfriend of the king who is about to be married and join the royal family. This basically translates into Nomcebo being the monarch’s fiancée.

“She seems to be deeply in love with the king despite her father’s reluctance towards the proposed marriage,” one of the Miswati’s intelligence officers revealed to the publication.

King Mswati set to introduce Nomcebo at reed dance

Royal insiders reportedly told Swaziland News that the monarch, as per customary law, is expected to formally introduce his liphovela to his mother, Queen Indlovukazi Ntombi Tfwala, before the uMhlanga (or reed dance) ceremony at the end of August.

King Mswati’s riches

Forbes Magazine listed King Mswati III in 2023 as one of the 15 richest royals in the world, with a fortune worth $500 million (about R10 billion).

This is while about 70% of his kingdom’s population is living below the poverty line, coupled with a collapsed health and education system.

In a December 2023 report, Swaziland News revealed that in the midst of his nation’s struggles with poverty, the king boasts shares in major companies in the construction, tourism, agriculture, telecommunications and forestry industries among others.

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