Zuma, chairman of embattled mining company Aurora Empowerment Systems, turned heads when he rocked up in a R2.5-million red gull-winged Mercedes-Benz SLS 63 AMG at the lavish wedding of national police commissioner Bheki Cele on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast two weeks ago.

The 40-year-old businessman arrived in a Bentley convertible at a trendy nightspot in Durban's Florida Road where ANC high-flyers partied up a storm during the party's national general council meeting last month.

But the Sunday Times has not been able to establish whether the Bentley, which sells for over R3-million, is part of his personal fleet of 19 vehicles.

His penchant for exotic cars has been described as "shameful" - especially when "people who are under his employ are not paid".

Zuma owns two BMW 750i sedans worth about R1.1-million each, a Range Rover Sport worth about R934500, a Mercedes-Benz Vito, three Mercedes-Benz Sprinters and four other vehicles.

It is also unclear whether the red Mercedes supercar, resembling a vehicle straight out of a James Bond movie, which he drove to Cele's wedding without a number plate, is registered in his name.

Zuma, a former newspaper vendor and taxi operator whose business empire has catapulted him to the ranks of the country's elite, was also spotted in a black Rolls-Royce during a jaunt for more than 50 close friends at a Durban restaurant recently, when he allegedly spent thousands of rands on premium liquor brands.

Zuma and former president Nelson Mandela's grandson Zondwa own Aurora Empowerment Systems, which last year took over Pamodzi Gold's two liquidated mines - Grootvlei in Ekurhuleni and Orkney outside Klerksdorp.

But miners at Aurora's Orkney operations have not been paid since February.

Zuma could not be reached for comment this week. He did not respond to SMS messages sent to him about his car collection.

Many of the unpaid mine workers have been surviving on food parcels provided by local businessmen, but this has stopped. Last week, the situation at the Grootvlei Mine was reportedly so desperate that workers looted the operation's resources to make ends meet.

On Friday, the Mail & Guardian reported that Aurora had staved off collapse after reaching an agreement with Protea Coin Security, which was granted a winding-up order against the company arising from a claim of R12-million in outstanding payments for services rendered since October last year.

National Union of Mineworkers president Senzeni Zokwana told the Sunday Times yesterday that the workers had not been paid yet, despite a promise by Aurora bosses.

"I think that the promise was meant to delay the judgment on the company being liquidated," he said.

Asked about Zuma driving the red Mercedes-Benz, he said: "It's one of the issues we've been raising that the new elite is eager to display their wealth at the expense of poor people.

"For him to have been driving such a car when people who are under his employ are not paid is shameful.

"I would be ashamed of myself if I were seen in that opulence, and yet people who have worked for me are not able to get their pay.

"It further shows that the gap between the rich and poor is widening. It means that gradually people are losing touch with the people."

By The Times (SA)