Tobacco tycoons, politicians bid farewell to Carnilinx director, Kyle Phillips absent after girlfriend's death

• Family and friends gathered for the memorial service of Martin Wingate-Pearse on Friday.
• The Carnilinx director lost his battle with cancer last week.
• Co-director Kyle Phillips, who's girlfriend Maja Janeska died hours before Wingate-Pearse, was absent.

Politically connected cigarette tycoons and those who swirl in their circles gathered on Friday for the memorial of Martin Wingate-Pearse.

The Carnilinx director lost his battle with cancer last week.

Conspicuous by his absence was Kyle Phillips, a dear friend and fellow Carnilinx director.

Last Friday morning, just after 9:00, his girlfriend Maja Janeska died from a bullet to the head in the couple's bedroom.

Police are still investigating whether the politically affiliated make-up artist's death was a suicide or something more sinister.

Just a few hours after her death, Wingate-Pearse succumbed to his illness.

Meanwhile, noticeable for his attendance was EFF leader Julius Malema, who slipped into the Rosebank Catholic Church from a side entrance just as the memorial was beginning.

READ | Cigarette tycoon Kyle Phillips 'was near celeb make-up artist when she died'

Malema and his family at times live in a luxury Hyde Park house that belongs to Carnilinx co-director Adriano Mazzotti, who previously confessed to smuggling tobacco.

In his latest book, Our Poisoned Land, investigative journalist Jacques Pauw details the relationship between Malema and Mazzotti.

The book follows Pauw's best seller, The President's Keepers.

In 2014, Mazzotti admitted to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) that he and Carnilinx had been complicit in fraud, money laundering, corruption, tax evasion and bribery.

According to Pauw, Mazzotti paid R200 000 towards the R600 000 the EFF needed to register as a political party to participate in the 2014 elections.

A year later, Phillips loaned Malema R1 million to settle his tax bill.

Maja Janeska (far right) speaks to EFF leader Julius Malema’s wife, Mantwa, at the wedding of Carnilinx boss Adriano Mazzotti’s daughter in Ibiza, Spain in July this year. Businessman Kyle Phillips (second from left), in discussion with the EFF’s Vuyani Pambo, is Mazzotti’s business partner in Carnilinx and Janeska’s ex-partner. He loaned R1 million to Malema to settle his tax bill with Sars. (Picture: Supplied)

Wingate-Pearse had made news headlines before, including for an attempt to have senior SARS officials branded as a "rogue unit". The courts formally put the claims of such a grouping to bed this year.

The allegations popped up in 2014 that SARS had a "rogue unit" that illegally spied on taxpayers.

In 2002, SARS was investigating Wingate-Pearse for tax evasion of R9 million. The case went on for several years, and in 2015, Wingate-Pearse claimed that the SARS "rogue unit" was behind his charges. He argued that because the alleged "rogue unit" was unlawful, the charges against him shouldn't hold.

EXCLUSIVE | Cash, booze and condoms: What Malema and Mazzotti's housekeeper saw

In July 2019, Wingate-Pearse lost the case in the High Court.

Prior to this, in 2005, Wingate-Pearse and Mazzotti were targeted in a SARS raid. SARS suspected the pair were involved in drug smuggling, but no drugs were found.

The pair were also involved with Glenn Agliotti, a convicted drug dealer who was acquitted of the murder of mining magnate Brett Kebble. Agliotti was a state witness in the prosecution of former SAPS commissioner Jackie Selebi.

'Always had the latest Porsche, the coolest Ferraris'

Agliotti, Mazzotti and Wingate-Pearse were partners in the Tradefirst company, but Mazzotti and Wingate-Pearse allegedly had a falling out with Agliotti.

Mazzotti’s wife Analisa and Donatella Wingate-Pearse are sisters. On Friday, Mazzotti was Wingate-Pearse’s pallbearer.

He also delivered the first eulogy, a tearful remembrance of his business partner and brother-in-law.

He said Wingate-Pearse became financially successful at a very young age and spent his money on "toys".

He said: 

"Success never changed Martin. He remained strong and humble. Still always dressed in well-worn, often torn jeans, faded T-shirts and well-worn shoes.

"As our family grew and we grew older, most men would have gone through the inevitable very awkward mid-life crisis fuelled with sports cars, hair dye and leather jackets. And we won't mention what else – especially in the church.

"But not Martin. He did the opposite. He got rid of the flashy cars – probably made a profit – and bought an old comfortable, and reliable Lexus, which we nicknamed Cyril.

"The adventures still continued, even with Cyril, and he remained exactly who he always was. The most incredible human being."

With this, Mazzotti's voice cracked, and he broke down in tears again.