Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been referenced in the latest release of Jeffrey Epstein files, in emails relating to a dinner arranged for Zuma in London in March 2010. The correspondence suggests the dinner was attended by a “beautiful” Russian model, but being named in the files does not imply any wrongdoing.
An email dated 4 March 2010, from a person helping to organise the event and copied to Epstein, stated:
“I have been asked to help arrange a small dinner tomorrow night for President Jacob Zuma of South Africa at the Ritz Hotel at 7:00 pm. Jeffrey suggested I invite you, as you would be certain to add some real glamour to the occasion. If you are able to accept, can you provide some information about yourself, as I need to present the President with a summary of the guests in advance.”
The invited guest, a model from Russia represented by Select Model Agency, accepted the invitation and provided details of her work and residence. She asked if the event would be black tie or if a sleeveless cocktail dress was acceptable.
In separate correspondence, Epstein informed British politician Lord Peter Mandelson about the dinner, noting that he had invited the Russian model to attend. A response from Mandelson is not included in the files.
Follow-up emails dated 6 and 7 March 2010 described the dinner as a success, with Epstein noting that the model “was a delight” and that Zuma “was much more impressive and engaging than I thought he would be.”
The Jacob Zuma Foundation dismissed the media coverage of the emails as “agenda-driven journalism built on innuendo” and “guilt by association.” In a statement, the foundation said there was no evidence of unlawful or improper conduct by Zuma, calling attempts to link him to Epstein “unethical, irresponsible and intellectually dishonest.”
Zuma was on a state visit to the United Kingdom from 3–5 March 2010, coinciding with the dinner arrangements. Epstein, a US financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The release of the emails forms part of a larger tranche of documents from Epstein’s estate, intended to provide transparency into his network and associations, though inclusion in the files does not imply culpability.
Source: BBC
