Jacob Zuma’s Daughter Flees From King Mswati’s Palace Citing Polygamy Woes
Former President Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Nomcebo Zuma, has reportedly left her royal marriage to King Mswati III of eSwatini, causing quiet ripples across the region’s political and traditional circles.
The 22-year-old junior wife, known as Inkhosikati LaZuma in the kingdom, is said to have walked away from the palace life, complaining that she could no longer bear being in a polygamous setup where she “goes for months without seeing her husband.”
In line with Swazi tradition, when a wife disappears — a practice known as kwemuka — the husband sends a delegation to her family to plead for her return. In this case, a royal team was allegedly dispatched to Zuma’s homestead in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, to try to resolve the matter.
Nomcebo’s marriage to King Mswati wasn’t officially announced by the palace but was exclusively reported by Swaziland News in 2024, when she was introduced as the King’s Liphovela (girlfriend) during the annual uMhlanga Reed Dance ceremony. Shortly after, she joined the royal household.
Now, her sudden departure has left both families in a tense standoff.
When contacted for comment by Swaziland News, King Mswati’s spokesperson Percy Simelane said he hadn’t been informed of the incident. He explained that his office only handles the King’s public matters, not private family issues.
“I am not aware, by design and principle, my Office portfolio does not stretch into the King’s private life, only his public life is my area of interest,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
Behind the scenes, sources claim that the royal delegation has been camped in Nkandla for days, trying to meet with Jacob Zuma — but the former president allegedly refused to even greet them.
According to insiders, Zuma told the envoys that he had never supported the marriage from the start, but only went along with it because his daughter was insistent. His silence now may be a sign that he’s standing by her decision to leave.
King Mswati, who is known for his lavish lifestyle and absolute power, has more than 14 wives and over 50 children, a fact that reportedly became overwhelming for Nomcebo.
Efforts to reach members of the Zuma family for direct comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
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