No stopping a prolific Zuma

Father of the nation in the true sense, his virility is not in question

WHEN news of former president Jacob Zuma’s new brideto-be first broke late last week, many weren’t surprised that the polygamous politician was spending his newfound retirement in the company of a beautiful young woman.

It was the fact that the former statesman, 76, had fathered a baby boy with his 24-year-old potential bride that stunned many and set the tongues of the nation wagging.

Social media was ablaze with comments about Zuma’s virility and many claimed it was difficult to imagine the man who’s facing 16 corruption charges waking up in the middle of the night to change his newborn’s nappies or do late-night feeds.

With an estimated 23 children in the JZ brood, there’s no denying that Zuma can be described as the “father of the nation”.

But at 76 he’s a far cry from Ramajit Raghav from India, who in 2012 at the age of 96, claimed to be the oldest man in the world to have fathered a child.

Zuma, like Raghav, is one of the millions of “older dads” around the world who continue to father children over the age of 50.

According to a 2015 study, the average age of a first-time father in the US is 30.9 years – up from 27.4 years in 1972.

But unlike women who have a window period for their fertility, there’s no expiration for men being able to father a child.

Over the past few decades, Hollywood has cottoned on to the older dad persona, with a number of Tinseltown’s leading men proving that not even old age has been able to slow down their sexual prowess – or paternal nature.

Here’s a look at some of the A-list stars who have embraced fatherhood over the age of 55.

STEVE MARTIN:

While he’s known for his many dad roles on screen, American actor and comedian Steve Martin, 72, became a father for the first time in real life at the age of 67.

The Father of the Bride star and his then 41-year-old wife, Anne Stringfield, became the proud parents of a daughter in 2013. He’s described fatherhood as being “fantastic”.

In a 2017 interview with AARP The Magazine, Martin said: “If I’d had a child earlier, I would have been a lousy father, because I would have misplaced my attention on my career.”

ROBERT DE NIRO:

The Taxi Driver star is the father of six who, fathering his first two children as a young man during the 1970s, went on to become a dad four times more later in his life.

De Niro was 55 when twin sons Julian and Aaron were born via surrogate with his ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith in 1995.

He became a dad again in 1998 when second wife Grace Hightower gave birth to son Elliot.

In 2011, when De Niro was 68, a daughter named Helen Grace was born via surrogate.

GEORGE LUCAS:

He’s known as the "Father of Star Wars” – the franchise that propelled his cinematic career to superstar status.

But while film- maker George Lucas, 73, has played the role of dad to three adopted children, he only became a biological father in 2013.

Daughter Everest, who is his first child with Mellody Hobson, was born via surrogate.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN:

The iconic funnyman was just as prolific when it came to making babies. Chaplin fathered 12 children throughout his life, with the youngest, Chris- topher James, born in 1962 when the Hollywood star was 73 years old.

CLINT EASTWOOD: Father of seven Clint Eastwood, 87, was 66 when his second wife, Dina Ruiz, gave birth to their daughter, Morgan, in 1996. Eastwood, who’s had children with four different women, was described by his son, actor Scott Eastwood, 31, in a PEOPLE Magazine interview as being “pretty old school”.

LARRY KING:

US radio and TV broadcaster Larry King’s high-profile marriages – and subsequent divorces – have been tabloid fodder for years. (After all, this is the man who’s been married eight times – to seven different women.)

But the legendary journalist is much more private when it comes to his five children, who’ve been kept away from the media spotlight for much of their lives. In 2000, at the age of 67, King and his eighth wife, Shawn Southwick, welcomed their son, Cannon.

SIR ROD STEWART:

Sir Rod is more than just a legendary rocker and songwriter; he’s also the proud papa of eight.

Youngest son Aiden was born in 2011 when Stewart was 66 and his model wife Penny Lancaster was 40. Coincidentally, Stewart’s daughter Kimberley gave birth to a baby girl just six months after her youngest sibling was born.

DONALD TRUMP:

The current US president welcomed his fifth child, Barron William Trump, with wife Melania Trump when he was 62. The youngest Trump heir (nicknamed “Little Donald”), now 12, is the first son in the White House since JFK jr. SIR MICK JAGGER:

The Rolling Stones frontman built a career around his status as a “sex god” during the wild 1960s and 70s.

But not even old age could stop 74-year-old Sir Mick Jagger’s stamina when he fathered his eighth child at the age of 72.

Following the death of his long- term girlfriend L’Wren Scott in 2014, Jagger began a relationship with ballerina Melanie Hamrick.

The pair welcomed a son, Deveraux Octavian Basil Jagger, on December 8, 2016.

HUGH HEFNER: Legendary Lothario and Playboy founder, the late Hugh Hefner was 66 when he fathered his last child. Cooper was born in 1991 to Hef and his second wife, former playmate Kimberley Conrad. He is the chief executive of Playboy Enterprises.

Hef ’s oldest child, daughter Christie Ann, is 65.