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South African President Jacob Zuma (L) takes part in a dance during his traditional wedding to Thobeka Madiba (R), his fifth wife - Source: Reuters -
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The three wives of South African President Jacob Zuma will not vie for the position of "First Lady" because the constitution makes no provision for the title, his office says.
South Africa's media has speculated on which spouse might assume the role after Zuma married for the fifth time this week , giving the Zulu traditionalist his third current wife.
"The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (does) not make provision for a First Lady or First Ladies, and there is no such official designation," the presidency said in a statement.
"The president will be accompanied by any of the spouses to official or public engagements, or all of them at the same time should he so decide. This is his prerogative."
Multiple marriages are allowed in South Africa and form part of Zulu culture but the practice has drawn criticism from HIV/AIDS activists in a country with one of the highest infection rates in the world.
Zuma, who was previously also married to Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma before their divorce in 1998, while another wife committed suicide in 2000, has repeatedly defended his decision to take many wives.
He has 19 children, according to his official biography on the presidency website, and is also engaged to at least one other woman.
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