Infidelity made in South Africa

What does Mandela, Zuma and King Mswati III have in common?

I really need some one to help me understand what is up with South Africans and fidelity.

It seems these people have serious issues with fidelity. Be it Mozambique, Swaziland, or just South Africa as a nation.

Sometime during my journalism career, I was a radio presenter. During my presentation of a musical program, I used to do some short but true stories about real people and events- just in between music.

One of my favorite was a story about a legend. A living legend to be exact.

The story goes that there was this fierce and highly intelligent politician and freedom fighter. The legend was born and brought in South Africa.

The legend was arrested and put behind bars for close to 27 yeas in some island in Cape Town. Making him one of the longest serving political prisoners in his time.

After serving his jail term, he was released and got back to fighting for the freedom of his people, against apartheid and racial discrimination.

He vied for presidency and won becoming the first black president in South Africa. He retired five years after being president.

During his marriage it is said that one day when the legend was flying in one of the choppers, his wife was having a hanky panky with one of his aides in the chopper.
That story was never proved. But another one was.

This was after the then president and world's most respected statesmen found himself in a Johannesburg courtroom discussing the most private aspects of his life.

He testified that he felt lonely and abandoned by his wife, who cheated on him while he was in prison for 27 years.

He said that years of rumors that his wife had been unfaithful were proven to him when he recognized his wife's handwriting in a letter in which the writer professed love for Dali Mpofu.

Mpofu apparently was Winnie Mandela's lawyer when she was tried in 1991 for her involvement in the kidnapping of four youths and the murder of one of them.
Winnie Mandela and Mpofu never confirmed the estranged affair.

In August 1994, the legend announced he was divorcing his wife. In July 1998, the legend proceeded to marry Samora Machel's widow, Graça Machel.
Making Machel the first lady of two different nations, (Mozambique and South Africa).

Now this legend by now you as you may have figured out was Nelson Mandela who was once married to Winnie Mandela who he divorced on grounds of infidelity to marry the widow of Samora Machel- Graca Machel.

Fast forward to 2009, another huge infidelity in the same soil. This time bedeviling the current president Jacob Zuma.

Once again, the news broke that one of Zuma's wives was sleeping with one of his personal aides.When the word got out, the body guard committed suited.

And then most recently is about the juicy and raunchy gossip about King Mswati III being cheated on.

I guess you know the story by now but if you don’t, here it is.

See, in Swaziland, there is this 60 year-old tradition where the king is allowed every year to marry an additional virgin in what is known as a reed dance.

As it stands right now, the king has 14 wives. Seriously does this fellow satisfy his wives? Unless he keeps a cabinet full of Viagra. No puns intended.

Hold up, just remembered that King Solomon had 1000 wives and 600 concubines/ clandestine. This guy was such a womanizer.

Anyway, back to my story, like I was saying, sometime in August, word had it that Swaziland’s justice ministers and one of King Mswati III closest confidants and childhood friend Ndumiso Mamba, was banging his 12th wife Nothando Dube.

By the way is banging a politically correct word? Never mind. Let’s move on.

The story continues that for several months, Nothando Dube 22 walked out of the palace dressed in an army uniform into a waiting car that drove her to a hotel to meet her secret lover one, Ndumiso Mamba.

The queen is said to have perfectly executed her disguise that left the royal palace without any suspicion. This she did for several months whenever the king was not around.

Until the 40th day when Ndumiso was caught up by the police in one of the hotels apparently owned by King Mswati.

I can’t just imagine the level of migraine the king endured.

Funny thing is that this was not the first time a queen at the palace had misbehaved or shown unfaithfulness. Two queens before her had done it too.

The two queens now live in exile while Dube is currently under house arrest. The secret lover Ndumiso who is apparently married resigned and is said to have been jailed.

However, when you look at this matter critically, you are wonder who to blame.

Should the blame be on the king or on the queen? Many feminists would say the king, while chauvinists would quickly say the queen.

But let’s face it. The king has 14 wives. I am not so sure how he manages to satisfy all of them unless like I said uses some medication.


I am not good at maths, but I can do this simple arithmetic. If the king had three women every week, it would take him at least 4.6 weeks to go full circle.

However, just like every man he has his favorite among the 14 whom he probably spends more time with.

So what happens to the rest of the queens in the colony?

They too just like the others are human beings need attention. The question is? Where do they find it?

They should probably come to Kenya for help. See, in Kenya, wives to MPS and the ilk don’t go any further than their homes.

They sleep with their gardeners, watchmen, guards, cooks. Think I am making this up? Ask Maina Kageni on Classic 105 and you would be surprised,

Back to my story, why does infidelity follow South African leaders like a bad smell? Are the South African men so poor at their game or women are just too demanding?

Probably women should be around to marry more than a one man. Better still. Date opposite sex.

Ends…//