How many children does Jacob Zuma have? Who are Zuma’s 23 children? Former President Jacob Zuma truly is the father of a nation. A busy man, he has fathered at least 23 children, all of whom he loves dearly, he’s said.
Here’s a round-up of President Jacob Zuma’s children.
President Zuma once said in a TV interview:
“There are plenty of politicians who have mistresses and children that they hide so as to pretend they’re monogamous, I prefer to be open, I love my wives and I’m proud of my children.”
Some of the Zuma clan are well known to the public and tabloids, others prefer to keep to themselves. What follows is an unofficial list of the former First Children, from oldest (43) to youngest (10). Not all names and dates are known to the public, and many of the younger ones are still minors so we’re protecting their identities.
The older clan:
The oldest 10 are mostly the children of former wives Kate Mantsho and presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Kate had 5 children with Jacob, but tragically committed suicide in 2000. Dlamini-Zuma had 4 children with Zuma and divorced him in 1998; the following year she became cabinet minister.
1. Mziwoxolo Edward Zuma (son)
Mother: Minah Shongwe
Born: 1977
Zuma’s oldest son and also perhaps the most controversial one, Edward started law studies at the University of Zululand.
In 2000 he was arrested for raping a fellow student, but the woman withdrew the charges (after receiving compensation, reported Noseweek). Edward has since been in the news for defaulting on a multimillion loan, owing a million bucks to his wedding planner, allegedly dealing in contraband cigarettes, dropping xenophobic remarks and avoiding paying maintenance for his son.
On the upside, this means Edward is the first (and so far only) one to make the president a grandpa. He is also fiercely loyal of his dad and regularly defends him on issues ranging from Nkandla and Zuma’s genitals in art to negative comments by Julius Malema. Edward is director of nearly a dozen companies and has been tied to at least 34.
2. Mxolisi (Saady) Zuma (son)
Mother: Kate Mantsho
Born: 1980
Mxolisi is the oldest of 5 children born to Jacob and Kate Mantsho. Born in Mozambique, where their family was in exile, he and his 4 siblings played in the streets, went to the local school and learned Portuguese. After 10 years, they moved to Zimbabwe and finally relocated to South Africa in 1993. He was 20 years old when his mom passed away. Today he has business interests in at least 6 investment and broker companies, but he stays out of the news and off social media.
3. Msholozi Zuma (daughter)
Mother: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Born: 1982
Msholozi, Zuma’s oldest daughter, was named after her father’s clan name. She’s also the oldest of Zuma’s children with his now ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who divorced Jacob when Msholozi was 16.
4. Duduzane (Zane) Zuma (son, twin)
Mother: Kate Mantsho
Born: 1984
Brother Zane has a taste for the lavish. In 2009 he cruised on a luxury passenger ship costing around R200,000 per week. He lives in a grand house in Johannesburg with a fleet of luxury cars, although it’s technically owned by Mabengela Investments
5. Duduzile (Dudu) Zuma (daughter, twin)
Mother: Kate Mantsho
Born: 1984
The twin sister of Zane, Dudu is also famous for her bling lifestyle. In 2009 she hosted her birthday party with a guest list 600 names long, an open bar and luxury champagne on tap. She’s on the board of a number of investment companies, and founded African Star Communications, a PR and events company. Deeply touched by her mom’s suicide, Dudu also founded the Dudu Zuma Foundation charity for underprivileged women and children, specifically assisting those at risk of suicide. Her high-profile marriage to Lonwabo Sambudla, who is linked to The Billion Group and tender irregularities, seems to have ended in 2016.
List Continues: How many children does Jacob Zuma have? Meet all his 23 children
6. Gugulethu (Gugu) Zuma-Ncube (daughter)
Mother: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Born: 1985
Gugu is perhaps best known as actress in the roles of Lesedi Moloi in Isidingo, Sergeant Bhelu Mini in Interrogation Room, Coco in It’s for Life, and Zozo in Rhythm City. She graduated from AFDA Cape Town in 2007 with a Live Performance degree and her group’s graduation film, “Sindiswa”, was nominated for the Student Academy Awards (Student Oscars) in Hollywood.
She’s more than an actress, however, and also has various business interests, including Nyenyedzi Productions, which produced It’s for Life.
“Politics just isn’t in my blood,” she once told Beeld. “There are other ways of reaching out to people besides being a politician. I decided the way I wanted to influence people was through media, and film-making specifically.”
7. Nokuthula (Thuli) Nomaqhawe Zuma (daughter)
Mother: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Born: 1987
Thuli graduated in 2012 from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with a Masters degree in Economics, and she also did her Masters of Public Policy Management at Wits University. She’s been working at the Presidency Department of Monitoring and Evaluation since 2010 and also has interests in at least 4 businesses.
8. Thuthukile (Thuthu) Xolile Nomonde Zuma (daughter)
Mother: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Born: 28 April 1989
Another offspring of the president that has hit the headlines, Thuthu has had a meteoric career path. A year after obtaining her BA honours in anthropology in 2012, she was appointed public liaison officer at the Ministry of State Security. Another year later, in 2014, at the tender age of 25, Thuthu became the youngest ever ministerial chief of staff with her appointment in the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, earning nearly R1 million annually. Thuthukile also has business interests.
9. Phumzile Zuma (daughter)
Mother: Kate Mantsho
Born: 1989
Phumzile isn’t often in the spotlight. She studied at Wits and became a Scientologist, and gave a speech at the opening of the Scientology Life Improvement Centre in Johannesburg in March 2010.
10. Nhlakanipho Vusi Zuma (son)
Mother: Kate Mantsho
Born: 1993. Died: 2018.
Vusi Zuma, the youngest of Kate and Zuma’s children, passed away on Sunday 1 July 2018. He suffered from systematic lupus erythematosus, more commonly known as lupus, and developed complications.
Wife Gloria Bongekile Ngema has given Jacob a son and he has another child (gender unknown) with wife Thobeka Madiba (Mabhija), who lives in Durban North and is also looking after a daughter and twins he fathered with an unknown woman from Johannesburg.
Furthermore we know he has two children with Priscilla Nonkwaleko Mhlongo (a Pietermaritzburg businesswoman), a daughter with a woman from Richard’s Bay, and a son with Sonono Khoza, daughter of the president’s friend Irvin Khoza.
How many wives does Jacob Zuma have, who and how old are they?
11. Daughter
Mother: Priscilla Nonkwaleko Mhlongo
Born: 18 January 1998
12. Daughter
Mother: Priscilla Nonkwaleko Mhlongo
Born: 19 September 2002
13. Daughter
Mother: Nompumelelo (MaNtuli) Ntuli
Born: 1 January? 2002
This child was in car accident in March 2015 with her two siblings and cousin when a black car rammed into theirs. They all recovered well.
14. Daughter
Mother: Nompumelelo (MaNtuli) Ntuli
Born: 1 February 2006
This child was also in the car.
15. Son
Mother: Gloria Bongekile Ngema
Born: 2006
LIST: How many children does Jacob Zuma have? Meet all his 23 children
16 & 17. Twins: son & daughter
Mother: Johannesburg woman
Born: Unknown
18. Unknown
Mother: Thobeka Stacie Madiba (Mabhija)
Born: October 2007
19. Daughter
Mother: Johannesburg woman, but currently lives with wife Thobeka Madiba (Mabhija).
Born: Unknown
20. Daughter
Mother: Sonono Khoza, daughter of Irvin Khoza
Born: 8 October 2009
Zuma’s 20th child (officially).
21. Son
Mother: Nompumelelo (MaNtuli) Ntuli
Born: August 2010
Died In car accident in March 2015 with his 2 siblings and cousin.
22. Daughter
Mother: woman from Richards Bay
Born: Unknown
23. Unknown
Mother: Nonkanyiso Chonco
Born: 12 April 2018