Zuma Foundation rejects Epstein link as "smear campaign"

The Jacob Zuma Foundation has issued a fierce denial after the former South African president’s name appeared in newly unsealed court documents related to the late financier and convicted sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein.

An email from 2010, purportedly involving Epstein’s associate Mark Lloyd, discusses arranging a dinner at a London hotel for then-President Zuma.

The message suggests inviting a woman named Vera to “add some real glamour to the occasion.” A subsequent email described Zuma as "impressive and engaging" at the event.

Foundation denies "proximity" to crimes

Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi condemned the reports as an unethical attempt to tarnish Zuma’s reputation “by proximity to the unrelated crimes of a third party.”

He dismissed the narrative as “speculative narrative-building disguised as investigative journalism” and stated definitively, “The matter is closed.”

The rebuttal comes amidst global scrutiny of the Epstein documents, with the foundation positioning the allegation as a baseless smear rather than a substantive link.