MaKhumalo Zuma is no new name in Mzansi. The feisty MaKhumalo Zuma is the former First Lady, former politician, and a social activist. MaKhumalo Zuma rose to fame through her association with Jacob Zuma, the former president of South Africa. MaKhumalo Zuma is also the former president's first wife. MaKhumalo Zuma's biography unveils some of the unknown facts about her life before fame.
MaKhumalo Zuma is topping the headlines after allegations about her death surfaced on social media on 12th July 2021. The conflicting information left the country in panic mode since it was barely a week after her husband had turned himself in to the police to serve a 15-month jail term. While most South Africans were curious to know more about the matter, a section of Mzansi was interested in finding clarity about the matter. As a result, this article sets the record straight about the controversial matter.
MaKhumalo Zuma's profile summary
- Full name: Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo
- Famous as: MaKhumalo Zuma
- Date of birth: 2nd March 1940
- Horoscope: Pisces
- Age: 81 years
- Place of birth: Colenso, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Famous as: The former First Lady of South Africa
- Marital status: Married
- Spouse: Jacob Zuma
- Children: None
- Profession: Former First Lady of South Africa, entrepreneur, social activist
- Ethnicity: African
- Religion: Christianity
How old is MaKhumalo Zuma?
Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo was born on 2nd March 1940, although not much is known about her family. Currently, MaKhumalo Zuma's age as of July 2021 is eighty-one years and four months. She is two years older than her husband.
MaKhumalo Zuma's birthday
The former First Lady celebrates her birthday on 2nd March every year. She celebrated her 81st birthday in 2021. Jacob Zuma's date of birth is 12 April 1942 making him 79 years of age in 2021.
MaKhumalo Zuma's place of birth
She was born in Conselo in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. She went to school at a local school in Colenso and was very young when she started taking care of her three younger Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo siblings. She met her husband in KwaZulu Natal during her teen years.
MaKhumalo Zuma's nationality
She was born and raised in KwaZulu Natal. Her residence is in Nkandla, on the northern side of KwaZulu Natal. Therefore, she is South African.
MaKhumalo's Zuma's husband, Jacob Zuma
Sizakele met Zuma in 1957, and at the time, she was sixteen years old. The former president was not the only man interested in her. However, she gave in to his advances because he was persistent. It took her three years to confirm to him that he was the one. They began courting in 1960.
However, their relationship was cut short in 1963 after Zuma was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in Robben Island. While in prison, the former president wrote to her telling her that he would understand if she left him, although she insisted on waiting for them to be together.
When Zuma was released in 1973, the pair married. Sizakele and Zuma have been married for more than four decades, although they have no children. Nonetheless, Jacob Zuma has fathered twenty-three children with other women.
Zuma's first wife, MaKhumalo
In 1975, MaKhumalo Zuma's husband went into exile in Swaziland, Mozambique, and later Zambia and left Khumalo behind. While in exile, he started a relationship with Nkosazana Dlamini, and they ended up getting married officially in 1982. Therefore, MaKhumalo officially became the first wife in a polygamous marriage according to Zulu tradition. Nkosazana bore the former president four daughters, and they divorced in 1998.
Jacob Zuma married Kate Mantsho as his third wife in 1976, and they had five children together. The late Kate Mantsho passed on in 2000 after what was alleged to be a suicide. The former president married his fourth wife, Nompumelelo Ntuli, in January 2008, and they have three kids together.
Jacob Zuma married Thobeka Stacie Mabhija in January 2010, and they have three children together. His sixth and last wife is Gloria Bongekile Ngema, who he married in April 2012, and they have one child.
MaKhumalo Zuma's career
Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo became the first lady of South Africa in 2009 after her husband appointed her. She served the position throughout her husband's first term, and during his second term, he chose her co-wife, Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma, to succeed her. She is popularly referred to as the mother of the nation.
Apart from the position, she also runs the Sizakele Khumalo Zuma Foundation in South Africa. She serves as a board member and founder. According to sources, she does a responsive interaction with the community base and utilizes her time in helping women and children.
MaKhumalo Zuma's net worth
As a politician and entrepreneur, one would expect the mother of the nation to be living lavishly. However, that is not the case. She is actively involved in the affairs of her foundation. She also loves participating in women and children empowerment. She is also passionate about farming.
MaKhumalo Zuma's house
Her house is situated in Nkandla, her husband's hometown. When her husband turned himself in, police vehicles fetched him from the multimillion-rand homestead in Nkandla. According to the former president, he turned himself in to avoid bloodshed and violence that would have otherwise occurred at the gate.
Has MaKhumalo Zuma passed away?
Is MaKhumalo Zuma dead? On Monday, 12th July 2021, rumours surfaced on social media platforms alleging that MaKhumalo had collapsed after her husband's arrest and had died on Monday morning. The unconfirmed news made it to mainstream media through Pali Lehohla, a former statistician general. During an interview with eNCA, the former statistician alleged that the mother of the nation had passed away.
In the clip that stirred panic on social media, Lehohla said,
The former president lost his brother, Michael, and this morning, he has lost his wife, MaKhumalo.The former president is currently serving a 15-month jail term after being found guilty of being in contempt of court. He turned himself in on 7th July 2021, just before midnight. On the same night, an ambulance was blocked from entering his homestead. According to a relative,
The ambulance that came in was for MaKhumalo. It came to attend her because when she heard the news that Zuma was handing himself over, she might have suffered from the shock because she was okay earlier.News of MaKhumalo’s death is ‘devoid of truth'
The Jacob Zuma Foundation confuted claims that the former First Lady had collapsed and died due to the shock of her husband turning himself in. The foundation set the record straight saying,
Following media inquiries, the Foundation checked with the family and can confirm that the rumour about first lady MaKhumalo having passed on is devoid of truth. Long Live Mama Wesizwe (mother of the nation).The rumours came after Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo's brother-in-law, Michael, passed on. According to a senior member of the family, Michael had been unwell for a while. He passed on Sunday at 11 am.
By now, these exclusive details about MaKhumalo Zuma clear all the doubts about her death. They also highlight how much she had to endure before and after getting married to the former president.
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