Jacob Zuma is the clear definition of the typical African mentality of polygamy. The former South African leader has made a name for himself out of his insatiable craving for women. He could be rightly described as the King Solomon of our time, having married six wives, in addition to many mistresses. Most interestingly, this former leader was not only the leader of a nation but a father of nations as he has fathered approximately 23 children so far in his lifetime. Here is a highlight of all 23 children of Jacob Zuma and their profiles, starting from the oldest to the youngest.
Meet Zuma’s Oldest Children
The oldest 10 are mostly the children of former wives Kate Mantsho and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Kate had 5 children with Jacob but tragically committed suicide in 2000. Dlamini-Zuma had 4 children with the former president and divorced him in 1998. Meet them below:
1. Mziwoxolo Edward Zuma (son)
- Mother: Minah Shongwe
- Born: 1977
- Age: 46 Years Old
- Occupation: Entrepreneur
- Alma mater: University of Zululand
Edward is the first son of Jacob Zuma and he was born in 1977 to Minah Shongwe. He is a graduate of Law at the famous University of Zululand. During his days as a student, precisely in the year 2000, he was charged for the alleged rape of a student. Nevertheless, the case was nipped in the bud due to the influence and monetary compensation given to the victim. Again, he has also been alleged to be defaulting on multimillion loans, as well as pulling off deals with contraband cigarettes, owing money to a wedding planner, and dropping xenophobic remarks. Edward is an entrepreneur who has eyes for businesses and has invested in some such as Silvex 556, SA Guiding Star Trading, Nippon Import Export SA, Isthebe Construction & Engineering, Isthebe Petroleum, Dumaka Alternative Technology, and so on.
Interestingly, Edward’s lavish wedding to Phumelel Shange made the Top Billing chart. He is also known to be a die-hard loyalist of his father Zuma as he would stop at nothing to defend his father. Edward is the Managing Director of a host of companies and has been tied to at least 34 of them.
2. Mxolisi (Saady) Zuma (son)
- Mother: Kate Mantsho
- Born: 1980
- Age: 44 Years Old
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 did not enjoy a rosy childhood as they were raised in a suburb while they attended neighborhood school to learn Portuguese. Nevertheless, after a decade of living in Mozambique, the family moved to Zimbabwe before later tracing their roots 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, though he prefers to keep a rather low profile.
3. Msholozi Zuma (daughter)
- Mother: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
- Born: 1982
- Age: 41 Years Old
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 just 16 years old. Msholozi wasn’t under media searchlight, not until she accompanied the president in 2013 to an IEC point at a primary school in Nkandla, though she was told her name was not listed on the voter’s roll, owing to the fact that she had a Swaziland ID document. However, her father swiftly wades in, explaining that she was born in exile and after a few urgent phone calls, Msholozi was registered. She was also spotted while celebrating her mom’s birthday in 2012.
4. Duduzane (Zane) Zuma (son, twin)
- Mother: Kate Mantsho
- Born: 1984
- Age: 40 Years Old
Brother Zane seems to the most fun-loving of all Zuma’s sons with his wife Kate Mantsho. Born alongside his twin sister in 1984, Duduzane stirred up attention in 2009 when he was seen cruising on a luxury passenger ship costing around R200,000 per week. More than that, he lives in a luxurious mansion in Johannesburg and has a fleet of luxury cars. He is the co-director of Mabengela Investments alongside the Gupta brothers. Zane also serves as a director in over 10 other companies, including Shiva Uranium and Tegeta Resources and Energy. Duduzane once said that he would have become more successful if he wasn’t bearing the surname Zuma.
5. Duduzile (Dudu) Zuma (daughter, twin)
- Mother: Kate Mantsho
- Born: 1984
- Age: 40 Years Old
The twin sister of Zane, Dudu also lives a lifestyle that is nothing short of glamorous. She came into public recognition in 2009 when she hosted her birthday anniversary with a long guest list of 600 names entertained by an open bar and luxury champagne on tap. Administratively, she’s among the board directors of a number of investment companies and founded African Star Communications, a PR and events company.
Inspired by her mother’s tragic suicide, Dudu decided to establish the Dudu Zuma Foundation charity for underprivileged women and children, with the sole aim of assisting people who are at risk of committing suicide. She tied the knot with Lonwabo Sambudla, who is linked to The Billion Group and tender irregularities; nevertheless, they got divorced in 2016.
6. Gugulethu (Gugu) Zuma-Ncube (daughter)
- Mother: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
- Born: 1985
- Age: 38 Years Old
Gugulethu is the daughter of the former SA president and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. She was born in 1985 and graduated from AFDA Cape Town in 2007 with a Live Performance degree. Her group’s graduation film, “Sindiswa,” was nominated for the Student Academy Awards (Student Oscars) in Hollywood. Gugu is perhaps the most popular of all Zuma’s children. Best known as an actress, she was cast as Lesedi Moloi in the popular soap opera Isidingo, Sergeant Bhelu Mini in Interrogation Room, Coco in It’s for Life, and Zozo in Rhythm City.
Beyond acting, she has various business interests, including Nyenyedzi Productions, which produced It’s for Life. She also co-owns Stained Glass Productions, the company that produces Uzalo.
7. Nokuthula (Thuli) Nomaqhawe Zuma (daughter)
- Mother: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
- Born: 1987
- Age: 37 Years Old
Nokuthula (Thuli) Nomaqhawe Zuma was born in 1987, and she is one of the daughters of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. She is the bookworm of the family and graduated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with a Master’s degree in Economics in 2012. Thuli also bagged a Master’s degree in Public Policy Management at Wits University. She has been working at the Presidency Department of Monitoring and Evaluation since 2010 and also controls at least 4 businesses.
Beyond that, Thuli is also an actress, and she starred alongside her sister in It’s My Life. This got the endorsement of the presidential Twitter account, the presidency was so proud of the show that it officially promoted it, creating some form of a stir. She has tweeted much support for her sister Gugu in response to #Uzalo.
8. Thuthukile (Thuthu) Xolile Nomonde Zuma (daughter)
- Mother: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
- Born: 28 April 1989
- Age: 34 Years Old
Thuthukile (Thuthu) Xolile Nomonde is yet another daughter of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, born on April 28, 1989. She is often in the limelight for her involvement in the government, and this manifested after she obtained her BA honors in Anthropology in 2012. Owing to her career choice and qualifications, she was appointed as the public liaison officer at the Ministry of State Security. A year later, in 2014, at the tender age of 25, Thuthu made history as the youngest ever ministerial chief of staff with her appointment in the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services. The job came with a mouth-watering salary of nearly R1 million annually. Like other Zuma’s children, Thuthukile also has business interests.
9. Phumzile Zuma (daughter)
- Mother: Kate Mantsho
- Born: 1989
- Age: 34 Years Old
Phumzile Zuma was born in 1989, and she is the daughter of Kate Mantsho. She studied at Wits and became a Scientologist. She delivered a speech at the opening of the Scientology Life Improvement Centre in Johannesburg in March 2010. However, Phumzile doesn’t always enjoy being in the media spotlight.
10. Nhlakanipho Vusi Zuma (son)
- Mother: Kate Mantsho
- Born: 1993
- Died: 2018.
Nhlakanipho Vusi Zuma happens to be the youngest of Kate Mantsho’s son who was born in 1993. Sadly, he died on Sunday 1st July 2018 after suffering from systematic lupus erythematosus, more commonly known as lupus, and developed complications. There is also very little information on Vusi out there.
Jacob Zuma Also Has Many Younger Children
The former South African leader also has numerous younger children, though he has been rather reserved about divulging information about this generation of his to the media. Thus, not much is known about his younger children. However, his Wife MaNtuli has so far produced 3 children for Jacob and currently lives near Stanger in KwaZulu-Natal. In 2009, MaNtuli’s former bodyguard, Phinda Thomo died in what was said to be a suicide. And in February 2015, MaNtuli was evicted from Nkandla after being accused of trying to poison the president and father of her children.
Zuma’s wife Gloria Bongekile Ngema has given Jacob a son and he has another child (gender unknown) with his 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.
Additionally, it has been gathered that 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. Check out the list of the younger members of Zuma’s clan below:
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, however, was involved in a car accident in March 2015 with her two siblings and cousin when a black car rammed into theirs. They all recovered well in leaps and bounds.
14. Daughter
- Mother: Nompumelelo (MaNtuli) Ntuli
- Born: 1 February 2006
15. Son
- Mother: Gloria Bongekile Ngema
- Born: 2006
16 & 17 Twins: son & daughter
- Mother: Johannesburg woman
- Born: unknown date
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
He was involved in a car accident in March 2015 with his 2 siblings and cousin.
22. Daughter
- Mother: A woman from Richards Bay
- Born: N/A
The former president was also said to have fathered a child with a woman from Richards Bay. However, nothing is known about their daughter, including her name and when she was born.
23. Unknown
- Mother: Nonkanyiso Chonco
- Born: 12 April 2018
Although there are rumors making the rounds that Zuma will marry Nonkanyiso, it didn’t happen as the duo were said to have split since their relationship saw the light of day in 2020. The name of their daughter is unknown and other details about her are not public knowledge.
Who Are The Most Famous of Zuma’s Children?
One of the most famous of Zuma’s children is Gugulethu Zuma. She rose to fame for being an actress in the popular soap opera “Isidingo,” while she further came to public glare after tying the knot with the son of the secretary-general of Zimbabwe’s opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, Welshman Ncube. Even though her mother Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a former African National Congress (ANC) politician, was also quite popular.
Gugulethu Ncube was born in 1985 and attended the AFDA In 2007, where she graduated with a Live Performance degree. Her graduation film project Sindiswa got a nomination for the Student Academy Awards (Student Oscars) in Hollywood. However, she came into the spotlight when she appeared in several television shows, including Interrogation Room, SABC3’s Isidingo, and e.tv’s Rhythm City.
Highlights of her Acting Appearances
It’s for Life
This was a project that was produced through Nyenyedzi Productions, which she co-owns with her sisters Nokuthula Nomaqhawe and Thuthukile Zuma. She co-produced and acted in this Mzansi Magic show, a 2011 sitcom about four 20-somethings who find a squatter in their house. Zuma promoted the series through his official presidential Twitter account, for which he received criticism.
Uzalo
It is also a known fact that Zuma-Ncube also co-owns Stained Glass Productions with Kobedi “Pepsi” Pokane, through which they co-produced Uzalo for the SABC1 channel. It aired five days per week, Monday to Friday, and was the second-most popular television show in South Africa, behind Mzansi Magic’s Isibaya. In addition, Gugu is also involved in politics as in 2011, she volunteered at Luthuli House, the ANC’s headquarters, with her sister Thuthukile.
Thuthukile (Thuthu) Xolile Nomonde
Thuthukile (Thuthu) Xolile Nomonde is also among the most famous of Zuma’s children. She came into public glare in 2014 at the tender age of 25 when she made history as the youngest ever ministerial chief of staff with her appointment in the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services. This is in addition to her previous government appointment.
Mziwoxolo Edward
Being the first son of Jacob Zuma, Edward has also often enjoyed media publicity. He generated much controversy in the year 2000 when he was charged with the alleged rape of a student. He is also known to be a die-hard loyalist of his father Jacob Zuma and the Managing Director of many companies; all of these have made him quite popular.