ANC Women’s League president Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has denied newspaper reports claiming that a Chinese beer company is to sponsor her birthday party to the tune of R350_ 000 in a so-called “cash-for-contacts” deal. The Sunday Times said the “cash-for-contacts” deal by Tsingtao Beer was put together by a promotions company owned by Madikizela-Mandela’s daughter, Zinzi Mandela-Hlongwane. The deal followed a visit to China by Madikizela-Mandela sponsored by Tsingtao, one of the world’s biggest brewers, the newspaper said. “We will try to link up VIPs from business, government, parastatals … where they can mix and meet Tsingtao people,” said Vincent Mocheke of Lee Lee Productions, the project manager for Madikizela-Mandela’s party on October 29. Tsingtao plans to open a $55m brewery in South Africa within a year and has budgeted about $140 000 dollars for marketing over the next 18 months. Madikizela-Mandela’s secretary, Alan van Zuydam-Reynolds, said Madikizela-Mandela had not given her consent for any event incorporating a “‘cash-for-contacts'” deal as described.” – AFP