Tight security as talk-show billionaire prepares to host New Year’s Eve bash

Sun City went into virtual lockdown yesterday as US TV star Oprah Winfrey prepared to host her New Year’s Eve bash at the resort.

No one was permitted to get near the celebrity-swamped areas to allow Winfrey and her guests — set to include singers Mary J Blige and Mariah Carey and film star Sidney Poitier — to boogie in private style.

Winfrey’s star-studded bash will be held tonight at the Lost City’s Valley of the Waves .

Yesterday the Sunday Times spotted Winfrey, Oscar winner Sidney Poitier, R&B supremo Mary J Blige, comedian Chris Rock, film director Spike Lee, music producer Quincy Jones, musician Billy Ocean and pop singer Mariah Carey.

The US celebrities enjoyed private English and continental breakfasts at the Palace Hotel’s Villa del Palazzo restaurant, which enjoys one of the establishment’s better mountain views and is surrounded by fountains. The restaurant was closed to ordinary Palace guests.

Winfrey was wearing a grey T-shirt and black tracksuit pants and not a scrap of makeup. She sat at a table with Poitier who wore a pink striped shirt, and the two of them were huddled in close conversation for an hour, sipping rooibos tea.

Mary J Blige sat with record industry executive husband Martin Kendu Isaacs outside on the restaurant’s veranda. She wore a stylish chocolate brown tracksuit, black cap and sunglasses and chatted to the waiters.

Mariah Carey offered onlookers a glimpse of the very short turquoise- grey mini dress she was wearing as she breakfasted, and Spike Lee bantered freely with hotel staff on his way from his room to the restaurant.

Waiters said the celebrity diners ate plenty of fruit — sausages, eggs and omelettes were among the celebrities’ hot food favourites.

None of the service staff, however, said they had received any tips.

All the waiters said Winfrey was a “nice woman” and admitted that many of them competed to serve her.

Poitier, 79, looked very frail and Winfrey helped him walk to his hotel room after breakfast.

For the most part, the celebrities kept their faces out of the spotlight and none donned their swimsuits for a dip at the Valley of the Waves on the sunny Saturday. The stars jetted into South Africa on Friday and a cocktail party was held for them that night in the Palace’s main lounge.

Exclusive wines, French champagne and a finger supper were served.

Other celebrities rumoured to be making an appearance at Winfrey’s bash include film stars Julia Roberts, John Travolta, Tom Cruise, but publicists and Sun City staff refused to confirm this.

Both Sun International’s marketing manager, Thoko Qoboza, and public relations company Magna Carta’s managing director, Michelle Anderson, said they had signed a non-disclosure agreement with the talk-show queen and were unable to confirm the official guest list.

Security checkpoints were erected around the Palace of the Lost City — where Winfrey booked out most of the hotel that costs R5000 a night for a standard room — and entrance to the Palace Hotel was a guests-only affair.

Heavily-muscled guards virtually took over the resort’s security operation and other hotel guests were refused permission to take pictures of the stars.

Winfrey, 52, and her friends are in South Africa for Tuesday’s official launch of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, an event which former President Nelson Mandela, Education Minister Naledi Pandor and Gauteng Education MEC Angie Motshekga are expected to attend.