Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo

Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo (born 2 March 1940),[1] also known as Sizakele MaKhumalo Zuma,[2] was the First Lady of South Africa, and is the first wife in a polygamous marriage with Jacob Zuma, the former President of South Africa.

Sizakele MaKhumalo Zuma
First Lady of South Africa
In role
9 May 2009 – 14 February 2018
Serving with Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma and 4 other wives
PresidentJacob Zuma
Preceded byMapula Motlanthe
Succeeded byTshepo Motsepe
Personal details
Born
Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo

(1940-03-02) 2 March 1940
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1973)​

Biography

Khumalo met Zuma in 1959 and the two started a relationship, but they were separated when Zuma was arrested in 1963 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Zuma and Khumalo were married after he was released in 1973, and in 1975 Zuma went into exile leaving Khumalo behind. While in exile he started a relationship with another ANC exile Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and the two later got married, making Khumalo Zuma's first wife in a polygamous marriage according to Zulu tradition. The couple have no children.

First Lady of South Africa

Zuma became the 4th President of South Africa after the general election in 2009, and chose Khumalo to be his First Lady from 2009 to 2014, after which he chose one of his other wives, Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma, to succeed her. She is the founder of the Sizakhele MaKhumalo Zuma Foundation.

References
  1. "About Jacob Zuma's first wife". thesouthafrican. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  2. Mdletshe, Canaan (4 March 2013). "MaKhumalo opens up about her love for Zuma". The Times.
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