Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo is the first wife of Jacob Zuma, the former president of South Africa who was succeeded by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Also known to South Africans as Makhumalo Zuma, Gertrude Sizakele was the first lady when Jacob Zuma was president of South Africa and was referred to as the mother of the nation.
Being the wife of Jacob Zuma is probably one of the most trying positions that Makhumalo holds—seeing that her husband has not only been unfaithful but that he has married several other women after her. However, she has remained the wife of the former president, despite all the challenges her marriage has faced and is focused on running Sizakhele MaKhumalo Zuma Foundation.
Summary Of Makhumalo Zuma’s Biography
- Full Name: Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo Zuma
- Nickname: Makhumalo Zuma
- Gender: Female
- Date of Birth: 2nd March 1940
- Makhumalo Zuma’s Age: 83 years old
- Ethnicity: Black
- Nationality: South African
- Zodiac Sign: Pisces
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Marital Status: Married
- Makhumalo Zuma’s Husband: Jacob Zuma
- Makhumalo Zuma’s Children: None
- Siblings: 3
- Famous for: Being the wife of former South African president, Jacob Zuma
Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo Is In Her 80s
Makhumalo Zuma was born on 2nd March 1940. At the time of her birth, the apartheid regime was still in control of the South African nation, and black South Africans like herself did not have access to some basic human rights. However, she attended a local school in Colenso KwaZulu-Natal, and from a very young age, she took up the responsibility of taking care of her three younger siblings.
We do not know who her parents were, but we know that she may not have enjoyed the best childhood due to the ill-treatment prevalent at the time against the black people of South Africa. We also don’t have details about her siblings and educational background.
Makhumalo Zuma Met Jacob Zuma When They Were Teenagers
There are varying dates online as to when Makhumalo and Jacob met. While some sources say they met in 1959, others say they met in 1957. However, what is common with the different sources is that they were both teenagers when they met and started dating.
Makhumalo Zuma was between the ages of 16 to 19, and Jacob Zuma was between the ages of 14 to 17. Although they were blacks and did not enjoy some basic human rights a the time, they had the right to fall in love, and they did that.
From the ages above, you can easily tell that Makhumalo is two years older than Jacob Zuma, even though that did not stop them from being in love and eventually getting married.
Makhumalo Zuma And Jacob Zuma Were Apart For 10 Years
There are reports that Makhumalo and Jacob Zuma did not start dating around the same time they met. This may be a fact, especially if you consider their ages at the time. Sources have it that the two started dating in 1960. At the time, Ma Makhumalo was up to 20 years old, and Jacob Zuma was about 18 years old and was already a member of the ANC.
In 1962, Jacob Zuma joined the Umkhonto we Sizwe, an armed subsidiary of the ANC. The same year he joined Umkhonto we Sizwe, ANC was banned, and he and 45 other recruits were arrested. He was sentenced to prison for 10 years as a result.
He served his prison term on Robben Island, and during this time, he wrote to his love Makhumalo, telling her that he won’t mind if she decided to leave him. But she was already committed to their relationship and decided to wait for him until he got out of jail.
