Jacob Zuma’s wives, marriages and children
How many times has he been married?
Jacob Zuma has got married six times
Who are the wives of Jacob Zuma?
- First Wife
Name: Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo
Relationship History: They started a relationship in 1959, but they were separated when JZ was sentenced to 10 years in prison from 1963. Zuma and Khumalo were married after he was released in 1973. Jacob was exiled from SA soon after, and left Khumalo behind. They stayed together after Zuma moved on to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma whilst working abroad.
Notable Achievements: She founded the Sizakhele MaKhumalo Zuma Foundation, and served as SA’s first lady from 2009 – 2014.
- Second Wife
Name: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Relationship History: She married Zuma in 1972 and divorced in June 1998 due to “irreconcilable differences”.
Notable Achievements: An incredible career in politics where she has served as the Health, Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Minister since 1999. And four medical degrees.
- Third Wife
Name: Kate Mansho
Age: 44 (1956 – 2000)
Relationship History: Married Zuma in 1980, before committing suicide in 2000. This is something we are going to look at later.
His Most recent wives…
- Fourth Wife
Name: Nompumelelo Ntuli
Relationship History: Married Jacob Zuma when aged 35, on 8th January 2008. She is Zuma’s youngest wife to date, and lives in KwaMaphumulo near Stanger.
- Fifth Wife
Name: Thobeka Stacie Madiba
Relationship History: Jacob Zuma paid lobola to her clan for the right to marry her, and tied the knot in January 2010
Notable Achievements: Thobeka lead a Unicef-backed campaign to raise awareness about child brides, and pushed for more to be done to stop illegal marriages to minors happening. She also studied at the Umlazi Campus of the University of Zululand where she graduated with a B.Com
- Sixth Wife
Name: Gloria Bongekile Ngema
Relationship History: Ngema visited Nkandla on December 2009 taking with her a traditional gift to the family – due to the lobola had been paid in full.
How many wives has he got now?
The number of Jacob Zuma’s wives still with him stands at four. Dlamini-Zuma divorced him back in 1998. His relationship with Kate Matsho however, was unspeakably sad.
She took her own life in December 2000, leaving a note to Reverend Frank Chikane that summarised her desperate situation:
“Strictly my dear children, my maternal family to attend. From the Zumas only Bro Mike and all the Mzobe family. Our marriage has been 24 years of hell”.