His latest marriage, in April this year, was to Gloria Bongekile Ngema in a
traditional ceremony in his home village of Nkandla. The union once again
stirred up debate about the Zulu president’s polygamy.
The presidential budget for “spousal support” was £1.2m in 2009/10,
almost double the cost during Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe’s terms in
office.
Mac Maharaj, Mr Zuma’s spokesman, has insisted that it was “grossly
incorrect” to suggest that taxpayers paid for the upkeep of his wives.
“The spouses pay their own living or household expenses, be it food,
mortgages, lights, water and so forth,” he said.
A parliamentary answer in 2010 revealed that the budget is spent on personal
staff for the wives, including a secretary and researcher, phones, laptops
and printers, domestic air travel and accommodation on non-presidential
business and international travel and expenses on presidential business.
It is understood that the president’s wives are entitled to medical aid and
security, and that his children’s domestic travel is funded by the
presidential office.
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