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Swazi king weds No 13 in secret
15/04/2007 21:58 - (SA)
Mbabane - Africa's last absolute monarch, Swaziland's King Mswati III, has secretly married his 13th wife, whom he chose in 2005 amid outrage about her age, a newspaper reported on Sunday.
Phindile Nkambule, now 19, was attending high school in the capital, Mbabane, before she dropped out in 2005 to assume royal duties.
Once chosen by the king, the bride-to-be is accorded the status and benefits of a wife, including being given a BMW X5.
The king of the impoverished, landlocked southern African kingdom has often attracted criticism for the extravagant life he and his wives lead while 70% of the 1.1 million citizens live on less than R7 a day.
Mswati maintains a fleet of luxury cars, and spends millions accommodating all his wives in luxury mansions.
'Setting a bad example'
The deeply traditional country has the highest rate of HIV in the world - with more than 40% of adults infected - and the king's practice of taking multiple wives has been criticised as infringing women's rights and setting a bad example in the polygamous country.
A member of the royal family confirmed to AFP that the wedding had taken place in the early hours of Saturday morning.
But the governor of Ludzidzini royal residence, Jim Gama, said: "I am not aware that there is a new inkhosikati. Why is it news that there is a new wife? Who cares if you marry another wife?"
R14m birthday bash
Mswati came under fire when he married his 11th wife, 18-year-old Zena Mahlangu, and her mother claimed she had been taken against her will and took the matter to court.
The king threatened the judges presiding in the matter to drop the case and her mother later withdrew it.
On Thursday this week the 39-year-old king is spending more than R24m on his birthday bash, saying it is a unifying symbol for the Swazi nation and will give Swazis a chance to celebrate with their king.
- AFP
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