By Wendy Jasson Da Cost and Mercury Correspondent
First Lady Nompumelelo Ntuli was kicked out of the Zuma household just days before Christmas, accused of cheating on the president.
The Mercury has reliably and independently learnt that MaNtuli spent the festive season away from Zuma after it emerged that she had allegedly committed adultery with a man meant to protect her.
Following this revelation, MaNtuli was not allowed to go to Nkandla as she had offended the ancestors and the Zumas.
She was eventually accepted back after a traditional ritual was performed months later.
MaNtuli is pregnant with what is believed to be Zuma's 21st child. They are on a state visit to India after attending the Afro-France summit in France. Zuma married his third wife, Tobeka Madiba-Zuma, in January. MaNtuli was noticibly absent from the traditional ceremony and it was initially believed that this was because of the ongoing rivalry between her and Madiba-Zuma.
However, a well-placed source confirmed that: "MaNtuli was not there (at the traditional wedding) because she was sent back to her family in Maphumulo.
"She (had) embarrassed and upset all the Zuma family. She was accompanied by elders back to her parents for guidance. The family was very angry with her."
Two of MaNtuli's brothers - Siyabonga and Siphelele - confirmed that the family elders had met in April and a goat was delivered to Zuma's homestead.
MaNtuli was the target of an apparent smear attempt this week, a day after The Mercury reported that she had accompanied Zuma on a state visit, and was pregnant with their third child. An anonymous letter purportedly "by concerned family members" was faxed to several newspapers in an apparent smear attempt. It contained sensational and damaging allegations.
The Presidency has refused to comment, saying the matter was a private one. The president's nephew, Khula Zuma, said the Zuma family viewed the letter as "a continuation of the attack on the person of the president and his political career".
"It is particularly shameful and alarming that the president's political enemies have now taken to masquerading as members of his family to spread malicious innuendo."
He said the president's family was united in distancing itself from "these malicious reports" about MaNtuli and that no member of the Zuma family could have been the source of this misinformation.
"Insofar as these reports may infringe on the rights and privacy of Mama MaNtuli, her rights are fully reserved," said Khula Zuma.
Madiba-Zuma declined to comment yesterday.
The Ilanga newspaper quoted a spokeswoman for the MaNtuli Foundation as confirming that the bodyguard - named as Phinda Thomo - had died and that MaNtuli had attended his funeral in Soweto.
Yesterday one of MaNtuli's closest friends, Deborah Fraser, said she was horrified about the letter and the claims were not about the woman she knew. "This will destroy her spiritually," she said.
Fraser said MaNtuli had asked her to accompany her to the funeral of one of her bodyguards, a young boy who had respected her and referred to her as "uMama". He had been very ill and even Zuma had known about the funeral. She did not believe that her friend of many years would have had an affair.
"Whatever they are saying, it is not the MaNtuli that I know. As far as I know they are very happy."
The presidency has refused to comment on what it says is Zuma's private life.