There will be three first ladies at Jacob Zuma's side when he is inaugurated as the President of South Africa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Saturday.

He has invited Nompumelelo (MaNtuli), Sizakele (MaKhumalo) and Thobeka Mabhija to share the day with him, The Star reported on Thursday.

Other family will include his children, his brothers and sisters and his three surviving aunts.

Also on Zuma's personal guest list are former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, Indian National Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Nigerian vice-president Atiku Abubaker and the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Zuma's spokesperson Lakela Kaunda said his other guests were leaders of former liberation movements in Africa and of fraternal parties in India, China and other countries with parties that were close to the African National Congress.

The inauguration will be attended by 5 000 dignitaries, the report said.