Photo: Twitter/@niehaus_carl
Suspended uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus has paid lobola for his wife Noluthando Mdluli.
Niehaus, who was born in Zeerust in the North West province, splashed the news on social media platforms Twitter and Facebook on Sunday.
“Today is a beautiful day. I paid lobola for my beautiful wife,” tweeted Niehaus.
It is unclear how much lobola Niehaus had paid.
After posting his comment about paying lobola, Niehaus was asked how much he had paid for his bride. He, however, refused to disclose the amount, saying it was a private matter.
“I just announced that I paid lobola, not the amount. How much is honestly none of your business,” he said.
Since posting the comment, Niehaus has received praise from hundreds of users, but others hackled him on the social media platforms.
“You deserve to be given an African name and understanding. You are not only [respectful] of the African traditions but also of its aspirations. You deserve the highest order as is tradition with honour to those who honour our understanding. You shall not forget Mkhululi,” tweeted Mjabulisi Mkhize.
However, Fhatuwani was scathing of Niehaus’s marriage.
“Are you not too old for this girl mara? Do you literally take off your clothes for this child who is young enough to be your granddaughter? Unesbindi strue. Anyway, it’s your choice. Congratulations, I guess. Did you have your family accompanying you? The uncles for instance.”
Mdluli, a Johannesburg model and entrepreneur, met the 62-year-old Niehaus at a Johannesburg mall two years ago and had no qualms about him becoming her partner.
“The moment we met, he just blew me away with his caring, kind and friendly persona. It’s unfortunate that those who dislike him are doing so out of ignorance. If they get to know him, I can assure you, they will immediately view him in a different light.”
Mdluli, who runs an online clothing shop, was working as a sales assistant at a shop in the Rosebank Mall when she met Niehaus.
“Initially, I was hesitant to date him given that he is white. I grew up in Soweto and had never dated a white person before. However, as I got to know him, I realised that he was not only kind and loving; he was also a true South African who did not identify himself in terms of race,” she said.
Lobola, or bride price, is a tradition practised by many African cultures to celebrate the matrimony of two individuals and joining of their families.
Negotiations can take days – or months – and the exchange commonly takes the form of the groom’s family gifting the bride’s family with money.
ALSO READ: Tips for saving up for lobola
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