Nomcebo Zuma, the sassy 21-year-old daughter of former president Jacob Zuma was this week unveiled as King Mswati III’s liphovela – an official girlfriend – and made her first public appearance in eSwatini along with one of the monarch’s 15 wives.
Three independent sources confirmed to Sunday World that King Mswati is expected to pay R2-million and 100 head of cattle aslobolo for Nomcebo, the daughter of Zuma and Nonkululeko Hloniphile Mhlongo, also known as MaMhlongo.
“MaMhlongo’s eyes are on the lobolo price, which is reportedly to be six figures and about 100 cattle,” said a member of the Zuma family, who asked not to be named as he isn’t allowed to speak to the media on family matters.
Nomcebo will now warm the 56-year-old king’s bed even after her father, Zuma, stormed out of the lobolo negotiations two weeks ago.
After Zuma walked out, MaMhlongo, who has two children with the former president, apparently told everyone that the negotiations would go on with or without him.
She and Zuma couldn’t be reached for comment.
Nomcebo, dressed in red Swati regalia, made her first public appearance accompanied by the king’s 15th wife, Siphelele Mashwama, during the opening of a R50-million chicken project in Malkerns, eSwatini, on Monday.
The king married Mashwama in September 2017. In October 2022, she accompanied him to Zulu King MisuZulu kaZwelithini’s coronation.
Zuma abandoned lobolo negotiations when it turned out that the king, who had initially reportedly told him that he wanted his son, who is in his 30s, to marry the former president’s daughter, only to be told during the negotiations that the king wanted Nomcebo for himself.
Last week Sunday World reported that a livid Zuma walked out of the talks, telling a family member that he felt betrayed by the king, who had sent a delegation to the Nxamalala homestead in Nkandla, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
An insider told Sunday World: “I’ve never seen uNxamalala (Zuma) losing it like that. He tried to hide it, but you could tell he was angry. He just stood up and said seniyosala niqhubeka bafana bakithi (I won’t be a part of this, you will have to carry on without me, my brothers). He then left.”
Sunday World also reported that the king’s roving eye has also caused a stir among his wives, who had believed that there wouldn’t be any further additions to the family as his majesty was getting old and had not taken a new wife in recent years.
Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze, the king’s executive officer, Prince Hlangabeza Dlamini, and Qethuka Sigombeni Dlamini, the king’s emissaries, led his delegation. Prince Simphiwe Zulu, the spokesperson of King MisuZulu and the commander of amabutho also accompanied them.
The king’s spokesperson, Percy Simelane, said he couldn’t comment on the king’s private life.
“It is our principle not to comment about the king’s private life in the media.”
