Image: Nonkanyiso Conco/Twitter
Image: Nonkanyiso Conco/Twitter
The problem with social media is that, quite often, messages can be misconstrued for something different to their original meaning. Nonkanyiso Conco – who will become the eighth woman to marry Jacob Zuma and his fifth official wife once they tie the knot – found that out the hard way this week.
Nonkanyiso Conco in social media storm
Conco took to her Instagram page last week to post a message of support to her two-year-old son. She pays tribute to the tot, and accepts that she will be raising her child alone for the foreseeable future.
“Dear Son, I want to thank you for being the reason why I need to work harder. I have made peace that I’ll attend school activities alone, travel the world with him alone and take all responsibilities on raising a boy child and installing best values in his life.”
Nonkanyiso Conco on Instagram
Jacob Zuma is “no deadbeat”
Many people took this as a slant against Jacob Zuma. Indeed, plenty of the comments underneath the post also suggest that Msholozi has been put on blast. Apparently, that’s not the case. Nonkanyiso Conco has since clarified her position, telling the Sunday Tribune that she enjoys the full support of her husband-to-be and doesn’t expect a polygamous father to be there for every significant event.
“Being there and raising a child, I’m doing it alone like any other woman who is in a polygamous relationship, otherwise daddy has always supported me and our son. He misses many of our son’s milestones. However, we can’t expect him to be there every day.”
“A man who was a head of state and has such a large family wouldn’t have time for things like walking a child to a park, attending doctor’s appointments or just to buy ice cream at a mall every day. It’s impossible to run family errands every day or to be there for every special day.”
Nonkanyiso Conco stands by her man
Who is Nonkanyiso Conco, and how many wives does Jacob Zuma have?
Conco is now based in Pietermaritzburg and worked as a director at Nomkhubulwane Culture and Youth Development Organisation which aims to preserve the cultural practices of Zulu maidens. She’s also served as a communications officer and an executive committee member at She Conquers, a national campaign aiming to help young women avoid unwanted pregnancy‚ HIV infections‚ and gender-based violence.
Zuma currently has four wives, having divorced Minister in the Presidency, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in 1998, while his second wife, Kate Mantsho committed suicide in 2000. He is also separated from Nompumelelo Ntuli, who was implicated in an alleged plot to poison him.
