Documents released by the US justice department of justice last confirm that former South African president Jacob Zuma attended a dinner organised by Jeffrey Epstein in London during his 2010 state visit to the UK. Zuma undertook the three‑day visit from March 3 to 5 2010 at the invitation of the late Queen Elizabeth. His official programme included banquets at Buckingham Palace, where he stayed, and meetings with then prime minister Gordon Brown, Lord Peter Mandelson and the Prince of Wales, as well as a keynote address to the UK parliament.
Zuma’s final official engagement was a meeting with NGOs at South Africa House on March 5. Epstein was an American financier and convicted sex offender who was accused of sex trafficking women and girls. He developed a social circle that included wealthy individuals, prominent politicians and royalty.
While jailed and awaiting a federal sex-trafficking trial in 2019, Epstein killed himself by hanging. Emailscontained in the Epstein files show Epstein arranged a dinner for Zuma at the Ritz Hotel on the evening of March 5 2010. One email, dated March 4, states: “I have been asked to help arrange a small dinner tomorrow night for President Jacob Zuma of South Africa at the Ritz Hotel at 7pm.” The message was sent by Mark Lloyd, identified in the correspondence as assisting Epstein with arrangements.
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A Russian model was invited to attend the dinner. In her reply, she confirmed her acceptance and asked whether a cocktail dress would be suitable. A subsequent email from Lloyd to Epstein on March 6 described the model as “magnificent” and noted that Zuma “displayed more gravitas and none of the macho bluster he is generally portrayed as having by the tabloid press”.
Epstein also informed Mandelson of the dinner, writing, “Mark Lloyd is having dinner for Zuma tomorrow night at the Ritz. I have invited a beautiful Russian named [redacted] to attend.” It is not clear from the documents whether Mandelson was present. Separate emails released earlier show Epstein transferred £10,000 (R221,298) to Mandelson’s partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, in 2009.
At the time, Mandelson was serving as business secretary in Brown’s cabinet. In response to a report by the Daily Maverick revealing the 2010 dinner organised for Zuma, the Jacob Zuma Foundation in a statement rejected the framing of the disclosures. Spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said: “The so‑called ‘revelation’ published by Daily Maverick is a textbook example of agenda‑driven journalism built on innuendo, third‑party emails and retrospective guilt by association.
At no point does the articleallege, let alone establish, any unlawful or improper conduct by Jacob Zuma. “The attempt to smear president Zuma by proximity to the unrelated crimes of a third party is unethical, irresponsible and intellectually dishonest. The Jacob Zuma Foundation will not participate in speculative narrative‑building disguised as investigative journalism.
The matter is closed.” Speaking to Business Day, political analyst Menzi Ndhlovu said the disclosures were “surprising even if they come amid a broader pattern of ethical lapses and corruption issues that have damaged South Africa’s institutional credibility”. Ndhlovu noted that the development was diplomatically awkward, “especially at a time when South Africa’s foreign policy and ties to checkered actors are being called into question.”
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