Media must stop making noise about Zuma’s children – family
2010-02-11 16:30
Nonkululeko Mhlongo was the mother of President Jacob Zuma’s two
daughters and she was well respected in the family, a relative of the president
said today.
“She is our mother. She visits Msholozi’s [Zuma’s clan name] home
during functions. She was there in December. I don’t understand why people make
noise about this issue,” said Mike Zuma, the president’s younger brother.
He was reacting to reports that the president had fathered two
daughters aged 12 and seven with a Pietermaritzburg businesswoman.
“The children are known. The mother even attended Zuma’s wedding
with MaNtuli,” said Zuma.
News of the children came barely a month after it emerged that Zuma
had fathered a girl out of wedlock with Sonono Khoza, the daughter of soccer
boss Irvin Khoza.
“Journalists must leave Zuma alone. They must stop discussing his
private life.
“We are tired of this behaviour now,” said Mike Zuma.
The stories about Mhlongo’s children with Zuma invaded the privacy
of both Zuma and the children, he said.
“I don’t want to say anything about the issue of the children with
MaMhlongo. What I want to stress is that the president deserves respect.”
The issue should be discussed only by members of the Zuma
family.
“When is Zuma going to have peace with his family? His personal
life is not for public consumption,” he said.
Mhlongo was not available to comment.
She has been quoted as denying that Zuma is the father of her two
children.
Zuma (67) wed his fifth wife Thobeka Madiba earlier this month, two
years after his marriage to Nompumelelo Ntuli. He married Sizakele Khumalo in
1973.
His first wife Kate Mantsho Zuma committed suicide in 2000 and he
divorced Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who is now Home Affairs Minister, in
1998.
He is engaged to Gloria Bongi Ngema, from Durban, whose family
presented umbondo (gifts) to the Zuma family at the end of December.
- SAPA