The controversy over his private life ( his polygamy and his extra-marital affair ) had largely petered out by the end of the week , but only after some furious exchanges in Britain and South Africa , as Mr Zuma arrived in the UK on Tuesday. had described the president as " a buffoon " and " a sex-obsessed bigot with four wives and 35 children . " said this " smacked of cultural chauvinism of the worst kind . "