There were minor hiccups and delays,but when Milton Mbhele and his four brides stepped out of their limousine and held hands,there was a sense of triumph on the groom's face.
On Saturday,Mbhele exchanged vows with his four brides,sealing each 'I do' with a kiss in a packed marquee at Weenen,near Ladysmit
'This is a dream come true for me. After all the planning and hard work,I am glad to see the day finally arriving,' the exhausted-looking Mbhele said.
Explaining the decision to marry his four brides at once,Mbhele,the municipal manager of the Indaka local municipality,said economic considerations had been at play. 'This tent costs R45 000. Separate weddings to the four ladies would therefore have set me back by close to R200 000 for the venue alone,so I chose this option and frankly I think it was a good move,' he said.
While aware of the publicity his wedding has generated,Mbhele did not say that his move would encourage other men to follow suit.
'In the end,as a man you must do what puts you at ease and the best that you can do is to stay original,' he said.
One guest at the wedding said he had arrived to see what he thought was a prank.
'This is a man among men. Even His Majesty King Goodwill (Zwelithini),with his many wives,has never married more than one bride at once,' said the man,who would not be named.
The brides,clearly surprised at the huge turnout,presented a united front,each one saying she was unmoved by the prospect of being in a polygamous marriage.
'The important thing is that we get along and respect each other.
'We believe that this arrangement is going to work out without much difficulty,' said Smangele Cele,23,the youngest of the four brides.
She said she was looking forward to marrying Mbhele,although it means she will have to share him.
She said the wives planned to live separately,and take turns spending time with their husband.
The women,resplendent in their white gowns,each received a ring and a kiss from the groom at Saturday's Christian ceremony.
Yesterday,the families gathered for a second traditional Zulu wedding and said that they planned to exchange gifts today.
Mbhele has already been married to Thobile Vilakazi,one of the four brides,for 12 years and has 11 children.
He did not specify who their mothers were.
'I want her to be happy,' he said of Vilakazi,who was given a gold wristwatch at Saturday's ceremony. 'I think getting married to her for the second time would make her happy since I will be taking in three other wives,so this will relieve her in some way.'
The other wives were Zanele Langa and Happiness Mdlolo,both 24,and Cele. South African law recognises traditional polygamous marriages,but while polygamy remains common among several tribes,including the Zulus and Swazis,simultaneous weddings seldom occur.
If you have money that you expect to start using in five years,it now belongs in stocks.
When I have money, I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.