By Sapa-AP and AFP
Davos - President Jacob Zuma defended his polygamy before a crowd of business and political elite and called for acceptance of Zulu culture.
Zuma, 67, married earlier this year, bringing his number of wives to three. Another wife died in 2000. He divorced a fifth in 1998.
Asked by Newsweek International editor and CNN host Fareed Zakaria, moderating a panel on Zuma and South Africa at the World Economic Forum here, about his "many wives", Zuma said he believed in the "equality of women", prompting Zakaria to ask if he treated his wives equally.
"Absolutely," Zuma responded, drawing laughs.
"There are many people in this audience who find it a challenge to be married to one person," Zakaria responded.
Zuma said polygamy was part of his culture, and those who thought their culture was "superior" had a problem.
He dismissed a suggestion that polygamy was "symbolically a great step backward" or inherently unfair to women.
"It depends what culture you come from. People interpret cultures in different ways. Some think that their culture is superior to others, that's a problem we have in the world."
In South Africa, "we follow a policy that says you must respect the cultures of others".
"That's my culture. It does not take anything from me, from my political beliefs and everything, including the belief on the equality of women.
"It's my culture. And I'm sure there are cultures (that) do that kind of thing," he said.
And he added: "The problem is that when people have their own culture ... think that their culture is the only right one ... the only one accepted by God."
In other comments, Zuma said that talk of so-called "white flight" from South Africa was exaggerated.
"Nobody is excluded," he said. "We are a very proud rainbow nation that is working together. There is an element of exaggerating things."