The cost of the marriage ceremony is to be paid by Zuma

THE wedding of President Jacob Zuma to his fifth wife, Bongi Ngema, will be a private family ceremony in Nkandla next weekend, the presidency said .

The cost of the ceremony is to be paid by Zuma - with there being no government expenditure involved, spokesperson Mac Maharaj said.

The couple and family have asked that their privacy be respected.

Maharaj said reports in the media suggesting the State would bear the cost of maintaining Zuma's wives were incorrect.

"The spouses pay their own living or household expenses, be it food, mortgages, lights, water and so forth," he said.

"Nothing is paid for by the State in the four households of the spouses. They live in private homes.

"The Presidency did provide ... support for spouse participation at official functions and provided a total of 60 domestic economy class flights a year for child and child-minder travel.

"Transport costs for school-going children were also included."

Otherwise, the living expenses of Zuma's children were borne by the family and not the State, Maharaj said.