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AFP via Getty ImagesSouth Africa’s Zulu king has expressed “deep” regret after a leaked video captured him hurling a barrage of insults at one of his wives.
In the video, which was widely shared on Wednesday, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini threatened to physically assault Queen Nomzamo Myeni, accused her of having an affair and said he wanted her out of the house.
The queen appeared to be the person filming the footage, remaining silent until the end of the video, when she said: “This is the life I live, day and night”.
On Friday, a statement from the king’s office said he recognised the outburst caused “pain” and “embarrassment” among royal circles and the broader Zulu ethnic group.
“It is important to clarify that the recordings are historical in nature and do not represent the present circumstances within the Royal Household,” the statement also said.
In the video, King Misuzulu criticises his wife, who he married last November, for making excursions without his approval.
“She’s out there without my permission. When you’re a wife, you ask for permission. At least let your husband know,” he told the queen, who is his third wife.
After repeatedly insulting the queen, he told her he had a girlfriend waiting for him.
“I want you out,” he said, as he left the room.
KwaZulu-Natal government/FacebookRegarded as the “lion of the nation”, the Zulu king is the custodian of age-old traditions that place marriage and polygamy at the heart of royal success.
His role within South Africa may only be ceremonial, but he remains hugely influential, with a yearly government-funded budget of several million dollars.
Zulu society is deeply patriarchal, with women often expected to comply with traditional gender norms.
South Africa has one of the highest rates of violence against women in the world.
Last year, South Africa classified gender-based violence (GBV) as a “national disaster”.
Additional reporting by Khanyisile Ngcobo
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