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Rasta man ‘dreadlocked’ about two wives
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A polygamous Rastafarian police inspector is contemplating taking the department of home affairs to court for the department’s refusal to issue marriage certificates to him and his two wives.
Zenzele Dlomo of Dundee, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, married his wives – Nokuthula, 28 and Makhosi, 38 – three years ago, and still does not have marriage certificates.
Dlomo, 40, approached the Legal Resources Centre to assist him in his bid to get the certificates. His lawyer has written to the department and said they were awaiting a response.
His problem stems from the conditions set out in the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act of 1998, which prescribes that if a man wants to get married to another woman, by way of customary law, he must get the consent of the first wife. With the first wife having approved, then he has to apply to the high court for permission.
In Dlomo’s case, he married both women on the same day and there was no first wife from whom to seek consent.
Dlomo, a police inspector from the Dundee SAPS, was then told by the department of home affairs that he had to choose one of his wives to get a certificate, and then apply to the high court for a certificate for the other wife – but he would have none of that.
“Why should I choose between my wives, because I love them both equally. If I do, I’ll be creating tensions between us. If I pick one to get the certificate, then the other one might feel inferior, which I don’t want, because I love them both.
Dlomo has been living with his wives for nine years in Sibongile township, Dundee, and has eight children between them – five by Makhosi and three with Nokuthula.
The dreadlocked Dlomo is no stranger to controversy, as he was involved in a bitter wrangle with his employer in 1998 over his dreadlocks and beard. The police asked him to shave, but he defied the order. He took the matter to court and won.
He argued that his religion, Rastafarianism, allowed him to grow dreadlocks and not shave his head and cutting his hair would go against his beliefs.
A staunch traditionalist, Dlomo is unapologetic for his appetite for two women.
“There are more women than men and if we subscribed to the idea of one man, one partner, then there would be people who wouldn’t have partners. Why do people divorce and why do men cheat if that is the case?” he asked.
He and Makhosi have been together since 1982, when they were both in high school. Nokuthula only came into the picture in 1995, when they met while Dlomo worked in Newcastle.
They moved in together in 1997 and have been living as one happy family since.
Said Nokuthula, “We teach our children to respect each other and not to see themselves as having different mothers.”
Makhosi said they share the house duties. “One day I do the cooking and the following day Nokuthula cooks.
“Dlomo treats us equally and spends equal time with both of us,” she said.
Dlomo’s lawyer, Nomfundo Gobodo, said they had written to the department of home affairs seeking clarity.
“We have asked the department to explain its position because, according to the information at our disposal, there is nothing that says he can’t marry two women at the same time. Unless the department has a policy on that, we don’t see why he cannot get the certificates,” she said.
Marina Wolmarans, head of department at home affairs in Dundee, confirmed receiving a letter from Dlomo’s lawyers.
“I explained to Dlomo why he couldn’t get the certificates.” She said she had advised Dlomo to contact their head office about the matter.
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