Jacob Zuma splits with 25-year-old fiancée

There seems to be trouble between former president Jacob Zuma and his 25-year-old fiancée Nonkanyiso Conco.

The pair, who have a young son together, have allegedly separated and Conco has since moved out of the house that was rented for her by Zuma near Ballito, Durban.

Conco’s father, Fartescue, said that, although he had lost contact with his daughter, he had never approved of her relationship with Zuma and was unhappy with the former president for not having paid lobolo.

Fartescue said he heard that his daughter was no longer together with Zuma and was made aware that she was now staying with her mother in the Eastern Cape.

“She blocked me on all her contacts, but I know that she does not stay in Ballito any more. I wish she would come back home if Zuma is no longer able to maintain her,” the father said.

According to sources, the alleged split happened late last year.

Conco, who used to post pictures of herself and the former president, has removed his photos from her Instagram account.

“The split was put under wraps. Nonkanyiso received a strong warning from the Zumas that she must not reveal the separation, to avoid media attention,” said a source.

This week, City Press sister paper Sunday Sun visited Hilltop Private Estate and spoke to guards, who confirmed that Conco had vacated the premises at the end of last year.

They said Zuma, who is 53 years her senior, used to visit her at the residence but he stopped visiting and she later moved out in December.

Early this year, Sunday Sun reported that Conco was unhappy with Zuma and she took to Instagram to vent her frustrations at her son’s absent father.

Conco’s mother, Nombuso Thusi, refused to comment on the issue.

Efforts to get comment from Conco were unsuccessful as her phone went unanswered. SMS and WhatsApp messages also went unanswered.

The Zuma family spokesperson, Ray Zuma, declined to comment on the matter.

The former president first met Conco at a Zulu reed dance in Nongoma in 2013 when she was 19 years old.

Conco, who is from Matatiele on the KwaZulu-Natal border with the Eastern Cape, has long been an outspoken fan of keeping Zulu traditions alive.

She was forced to resign from her job as treasurer and communications officer of not-for-profit organisation She Conquers, a female empowerment institution, which was not impressed with her relationship with Zuma.

NEWS24