A royal storm is brewing in eSwatini following explosive revelations that Inkhosikati Nomcebo LaZuma, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has fled King Mswati III’s royal palace after only three months of marriage, citing emotional neglect and frustration.
According to sources close to the palace, the young bride became disillusioned with the realities of polygamous royal life, reportedly complaining about going months without seeing her husband. King Mswati, Africa’s last absolute monarch and a known polygamist with over 14 wives and 50 children, is alleged to have shifted his attention to other wives shortly after the royal wedding, leaving Nomcebo feeling abandoned.
Royal insiders say that typically, new wives enjoy extended private time with the King often until they conceive. But in Nomcebo’s case, the period was unusually short, causing deep distress.
“She was so frustrated and angry that she even accused her bodyguards of stealing her jewelry, which was later found,” one insider revealed. “She wanted a full-time relationship, not to be sidelined.”
The emotional strain reportedly became so intense that Nomcebo made the decision to leave the palace, seeking refuge in South Africa. A close confidante told Swaziland News that the young bride is still recovering emotionally and may speak out once she has fully “healed from the ordeal.”
In the wake of her departure, a royal delegation has been dispatched to Nkandla in a bid to repair relations and perhaps plead for her return. However, Jacob Zuma, who had previously opposed the marriage, has refused to entertain the delegation, reportedly stating that he only agreed to the union because “his daughter insisted.”
