KWAZULU NATAL:Prince Hlangabeza,Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze and Sigombeni Dlamini were allegedly sent by King Mswati to deliver ten(10) cattle to home of former South African President Jacob Zuma’s twenty-one(21) year-old daughter Nomcebo Zuma as part of “kucela” customary practice.
“Kucela” is a siSwati word and in this context,it means seeking permission from the elders or parents before marrying their daughter.
As reported by this Swaziland News last week,the King is preparing to marry Nomcebo Zuma and King’s Liphovela will be officially introduced to the eSwatini Nation during upcoming uMhlanga ceremony.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Friday,King’s Spokesperson Percy Simelane said he was not aware of the proposed marriage between King Mswati and Zuma’s daughter.
“We are not aware of any pointers to that effect”, said the King’s Spokesperson.
But after this publication exclusively published the story,this journalist was contacted by journalists from Ilanga Newspaper based in KwaZulu Natal who asked to do a follow-up story.
As a result,a collaboration was then established in the process of the follow-up and pictures of members of the delegation were then obtained.
The King’s traditionalists were warmly welcomed by the mother and close relatives of Nomcebo Zuma while Nomcebo’s father and ex-South African President Jacob Zuma allegedly snubbed the family meeting.
It is alleged that,Jacob Zuma was allegedly reluctant to approve the marriage between his daughter and Mswati who happens to be his friend.
Mswati,an absolute Monarch and polygamist with over fifteen(15) wives,is alleged to have first told Jacob Zuma that,the daughter will be married by one of his sons to which Zuma agreed but,the King Mswati subsequently changed his mind seeking to ‘take’ Nomcebo Zuma for himself.
Efforts to reach Jacob Zuma’s proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
But even though the former South African President snubbed the meeting,Nomcebo Zuma’s mother MaMhlongo was allegedly present during the family as the happiest woman.
MaMhlongo was not legally married to former President Jacob Zuma but they have children.
It is alleged that,during the family meeting,MaMahlongo described the move by the eSwatini King to marry her daughter as a blessing.
Prince Hlangabeza,Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze and Sigombeni Dlamini delivered ten(10)cattle for “kucela” as King Mswati prepares to marry Jacob Zuma’s twenty-one(21) year-old daughter(pic:supplied).