Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - November 7, 2004
Charles Molele
Pitt quietly entered South Africa without his wife, former Friends actress Jennifer Aniston, on Monday.
He spent the night at the five-star Sandton Sun Intercontinental Hotel, but left the following day to attend to business matters.
Pitt was in South Africa at the invitation of Virgin Atlantic boss, Sir Richard Branson, to throw his weight behind Aids projects.
He secretly met former President Nelson Mandela along with Branson, US hair-care millionaire, John Paul DeJoria, of Paul Mitchell, and officials from the anti-land mine project, Mine Seeker.
Pitt, 41, also pledged his support for Mandela's 46664 Aids campaign.
Mandela's spokesman, Zelda le Grange, said Pitt appeared humbled to have met and have had a few pictures taken with Mandela.
She couldn't hide her excitement at meeting Hollywood's blue-eyed babe, who starred in Troy, A River Runs Through It and Seven.
"Beside the fact that he is attractive, something which most people find very appealing, he's also an extremely intelligent person and appears to be honest," Le Grange said.
Later in the week, Pitt visited the Esselen Clinic in Hillbrow, which is on the frontline in the fight against Aids, and then found time to travel to Clarens in the Free State. Pitt and his bodyguards checked into the exclusive Lake Clarens Guesthouse on Wednesday night.
Virgin confirmed that Pitt was scheduled to travel on to Ethiopia after leaving South Africa.
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