Bulawayo awakes for Ncube, Zuma wedding

Bulawayo awakes for Ncube, Zuma wedding

TO A GOOD LIFE: Wesley and Gugu share a toast during their wedding at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds on December 27, 2008

LIGHTER MOMENT: MDC funnyman Job Sikhala (left) shares a lighter moment with Zuma and Ncube

• Ncube's son to wed Zuma's daughter

• The woman who stole Lupepe's heart

• Lupepe weds his woman

• Mandela's statement on Miriam Makeba

• Mandela leads Miriam Makeba tributes

• Miriam Makeba dies in Italy

• SA screen legend 'Sis' May' dies

• L'vovo sleeps in hotel foyer on UK tour

• Kwaito legend Ma-Willies dies

• Kwaito star Zombo dies after HIV revelation

• Joe Thomas empties Zim fans' pockets

• Soul Brother faces firearm possession, assault charges

• 'I want to live', Mtukudzi's new year's resolution

• Kasi admits: Sammy Joe is my child

• Singer Amon Mvula dies

By Nkanyiso Moyo and Lucky Tshuma
Posted to the web: 29/12/2008 20:53:44
“WEDDING of the year.” That, perhaps, is the biggest understatement of 2008 as it was used to describe last Saturday’s wedding between the children of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) secretary general Welshman Ncube and South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) president, Jacob Zuma.

Many of the 500 guests packed inside the fancily touched up Hall Number 4 at the International Trade Fair Grounds could not remember anything quite like it in their lifetime.

In a city where royalty ended with Lobengula, the enigmatic Zuma and his huge entourage swept into the City of Kings to a royal welcome by locals who lined the streets to quench their fascination with the man tipped to be South Africa’s next President.

Wesley Ncube, 25, was getting married to 23-year-old Gugulethu -- Zuma’s second daughter with South Africa’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The couple divorced in 1998.

Even before the wedding, the build-up of a sense of occasion told its own story.

The Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) deployed agents to sweep the venue and secure it starting late Thursday.

Zuma and his 14-vehicle convoy – which included vehicles from the South African embassy -- were given a police escort. Army marksmen followed the convoy. There was a marked police presence on street corners along the motorcade’s route – a sight only seen locally when President Mugabe is in town.

Political heavyweights either side of the Limpopo lined up to congratulate Zuma and Ncube over their children’s marriage.

"This is indeed the best Christmas present for the Zuma and Ncube families. We wish Gugulethu and Wesley all the best on this memorable day as they tie the knot," said ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu.

President Robert Mugabe sent Zanu PF national chairman John Nkomo to meet Zuma at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport to convey his congratulations.

Ncube’s comrades turned out in force, including the party’s leader Arthur Mutambara, his deputy Gibson Sibanda, Job Sikhala, Senator David Coltart and Paul Themba Nyathi.

A rival MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai sent national executive member Senator Sekai Holland. She was also present in the first leg of the wedding ceremony held in Johannesburg alongside Lucia Matibenga MP.

Apart from Nkomo, Zanu PF also sent former deputy minister Abigail Damasane and Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Zimbabwe’s Information Minister.

Dumiso Dabengwa, the interim chairman of the revived Zimbabwe African People’s Union (Zapu), was also in attendance.

EATING CAKE: Gugulethu on her knees to serve her new father-in-law Professor Welshman Ncube a piece of the wedding cake

The wedding couple arrived at the venue in a maroon Lexus sedan, both looking splendid and momentarily taking attention away from their famous parents.

The bride wore a white form fitting, strapless with sweetheart neckline and lace overlay floor length fishtail gown. She also wore gold pointed toe pump shoes and spotted fine curly braids worn in a ponytail.

The groom wore a black tailored suit with matching black shoes.

Zuma, easily the best-dressed men in the hall stepped out in a single breasted coffee coloured tailored suit worn with a white shirt and contrast lavender tie. He wore brown two tone shoes to match.

The groom’s father revealed how he tried to dissuade his son – a mathematics and statistics graduate student at the University of Cape Town – from getting hitched because he thought he was too young.

“He took the occasion to remind me that I was actually two years younger than him when I married his mother,” said Ncube to delirious laughter in the packed hall.

He added: "I am happy that my son has found a beautiful wife. When they are in Zimbabwe they are at home. When they are in South Africa, they are also at home.”

GUESTS: MDC president Arthur Mutambara seen with an unidentified guest at the wedding

Zuma said he was "happy and sad at the same time… seeing one’s daughter being married is every parent’s desire.”

He added: "There are two feelings. Sadness in that I am parting with my daughter. She has behaved very well. I am very happy that she got married in Zimbabwe.

"I am happy that our relations with Zimbabwe will be strengthened because of this wedding. It is now going to be easy for me to travel to Bulawayo… I will just say I am going to see my daughter. We are not just neighbours now, but we are relatives.”

In his speech, Zuma also hit ecclesiastical notes, before returning to the jest that makes him the captivating character he is.

"Nxa uyintombazana kumele ushadwe, uyakhe umuzi wakho (if you are a girl, you should get married and build your own home). There is no greater inheritance than that . . . When it gets tough, pray and ask Jesus to help you, because you were joined by God," Zuma said, turning to face his daughter, a budding actress.

With the serious business taken care of, Zuma wound up his address in a way he only knows how: “I am here to reclaim the cattle that Mzilikazi looted when he left Zululand,” he declared as the guests fell about laughing.

He was referring to Ndebele King Mzilikazi who rebelled from Shaka in 1868 before trekking up north until the Ndebeles finally settled in Matabeleland.

With the speeches and official programme out of the way, guests were treated to entertainment by jazz outfit, the Cool Crooners and Jazz Invitation.

Then the highlight. The Thandanani Women's Ensemble helped Zuma to his feet to sing Awuleth' Umshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun), the struggle song that has become the ANC leader’s signature tune. The whole hall went berserk, joining the ANC leader in song and dance.

OLD COMRADES: Zapu stalwart Dumiso Dabengwa and Zuma at the wedding

On Sunday, the Zuma and Ncube families went to the Ncubes’ rural home for traditional rituals.

Political commentators wonder what the marriage will do to political relations between Zuma’s ANC, Ncube’s MDC and Zimbabwe in general, but they all agree it’s a significant event in relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Perhaps this was best summed up by Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, when he stood to speak: "This is an auspicious event appreciated by both the President (Mugabe) and government of Zimbabwe. Gugu and Wesley have made us proud as a nation as they have cemented the good relationship we have always had with South Africa.

"This has been a wedding where all sections met regardless of political, racial and religious persuasion. This was truly the wedding of the year. The mother of all weddings. It is exemplary to our youth of today that they can still have beautiful white weddings.”

AWULETH'UMSHINI WAMI: Zuma takes to the dance floor with an unidentified female guest believed to be a South African diplomat
AWULETH'UMSHINI WAMI: ANC president Jacob Zuma takes to the dance floor with an unidentified guest believed to be a South African diplomat at his daughter's wedding in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
showbiz@newzimbabwe.com