Presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma met self-confessed tobacco smuggler Adriano Mazzotti and his business associates more than the one time — he claims he met her — we have the proof.
Instagram photographs prove at least two meetings, while a third shows an associate of the dodgy tycoon embracing Dlamini-Zuma, apparently taken in Greece. The others show Mazzotti and Dlamini-Zuma in London and in Sandton.
Under one of the photographs, gambling tycoon Philip Anastassopoulos exclaims: "Another nice day with mama Zuma."
Last week Mazzotti claimed he had only met the presidential hopeful once.
The photographs and the new information suggest a much closer relationship between Dlamini-Zuma and Mazzotti.
Mazzotti and gambling tycoons Philip and Photios Anastassopoulos — who own Supabets — are said to have taken Dlamini-Zuma to the UK and Greece earlier this year to try to raise funds for her presidential campaign.
Photios, who is also a non-executive director of Phumelela Gaming and Leisure, posted a photo of himself, Mazzotti and Dlamini-Zuma on his Instagram account on March 25, claiming he "had a good week with mama Zuma and Adriano in London".
Sources told the Sunday Times this week that Mazzotti and the Anastassopoulos brothers have been funding Dlamini-Zuma’s presidential campaign.
"Dlamini-Zuma has been having secret meetings with these guys twice per month behind her campaign team’s back because she knows they won’t be comfortable working with these controversial figures," a source said.
"Mazzotti and Photios have been sharing their private photos from these meetings with Dlamini-Zuma with their business associates while lobbying them to chip in some money for her campaign," another source said.
• Read the full story in the Sunday Times
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