Jude, Sadie and Oprah party for New Year's in South Africa

Dec 31, 2006, 11:55 GMT

12/05/2006 - Jude Law - The Holiday UK Premiere - Arrivals - Odeon Leicester Square - London, England © SOLARPIX.COM Photorazzi

Johannesburg - US talkshow host Oprah Winfrey was in South Africa to throw a New Year's Eve party at the plush Sun City casino resort that was to be attended by some top Hollywood celebrities, according to news reports Sunday.

Winfrey, who has set up a leadership school for girls and made several previous visits to the country, was seen at the resort north west of Johannesburg on Saturday, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

Some of her guests, including actor Sidney Poitier, comedian Chris Rock and singers Mariah Carey and Mary J Blige were also spotted enjoying breakfast there, according to the report.

Most of the guests are believed to have jetted into the country on Friday for a weekend at the 5,000 rand (about 900 dollars) a night resort with the wealthy talkshow host who reportedly paid for everything except the flights.

Local media reported that details of the New Year's Eve function were wrapped in secrecy amid tight security at Sun City, which is part of the Sun International group.

Winfrey and her guests were not the only international celebrities to choose sun-soaked South Africa for their year end holidays.

British actor Jude Law, his former wife Sadie Frost and their children spent Christmas in KwaZulu-Natal in the east of the country and in Franschoek in the Cape winelands.

The couple helped orphans put on a play in the KwaZulu-Natal town of Pietermaritzburg, swam with sharks and learned gumboot dancing during their stay, the Sunday Times said.

Frost was pictured on Sunday wearing traditional beaded Zulu headdress.