South
Africa's President Jacob Zuma has hinted he may be ready to take a fifth wife
to accompany him through old age, according to The Star.
During
a visit to a Durban township Tuesday in KwaZulu-Natal, the 72-year-old said in
Zulu "Angakayakhi indlu yokugugela…
laba ngisabathathile nje" (I do have wives but I'm yet to marry my
last one).
The
crowd, most of them elderly, laughed and cheered, The Star said.
Zuma,
who on Sunday said he was in "perfect condition" after a stay in hospital
in June, had earlier given a speech about the need to respect and tend for
older people.
Sihawu
Ngubane, a professor at KwaZulu-Natal University, was quoted by the newspaper
as saying it was fairly standard among Zulu people for a man who practises
polygamy to take a last wife for his final years, sometimes the younger sister
of one of his wives.
"They
call the last wife 'indlu yokugugela'
(the home in which I will age in) because the responsibility of looking after
the husband in their old age predominantly lies with the junior wife, who is
often younger than the other wives and more agile in case there is an
emergency," he said.
Some
South Africans reacted to the rumour with support.
"Good
for him and the wife to be," said radio presenter Sebenzile Nkambule on
Twitter. "Why are people upset? It's THEIR culture. You don't like it,
don't be polygamous."
But
with over 20 children, and four wives currently on the state's budget, Zuma has
also been harshly criticized for hitting taxpayers' pockets with his personal
life after refurbishments to his private home -- including a swimming pool and
amphitheatre.
The
246 million rand (US$21 million) refurbishments were paid for
with public funds under the guise of "security upgrades".
"He
can marry 10 wives .... but WE, the people, should not have to foot the
bill," commented reader Matt Howard on The Star's website.
"I
do not care if he marries a goat," said another, "but I am stuffed if
he uses my tax money to pay for the reception!!"
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