Johannesburg - The Presidency released the third instalment of the State Capture report on Tuesday, which included four hefty parts of the volume, and deals exclusively with corruption allegations against Bosasa.
The four parts span more than 1 000 pages.
Presidency Director-General Phindile Baleni received the third volume of the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector on behalf of the president. It was presented to her earlier by the Secretary of the Commission, Professor Itumeleng Mosala, at the Union Buildings.
In its report, the Commission deals with the extensive evidence presented regarding the activities and business dealings of the Bosasa Group of Companies, including its tender practices and contractual relations with government departments and SOEs.
It also deals with its efforts to gain influence with officials, managers and employers within those departments and SOEs, and the various role-players within and outside Bosasa that were part of these endeavours.
Bosasa raked in billions of rands from various government tenders under CEO Gavin Watson, who died in a car crash in 2019.
One of the key witnesses in relation to Bosasa’s dealings was Watson’s “right-hand man”, Angelo Agrizzi.
Read the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture Report_Part 3 V1.pdf
Read the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture Report_Part 3 V11.pdf
Read the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture Report_Part 3 V111.pdf
Read the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture Report_Part 3 IV.pdf
The Commission acknowledged that there were a number of criticisms made in respect of Agrizzi’s evidence as he contradicted himself on numerous occasions. The report stated that his evidence was “fallile in relation to detail”, but they did bear in mind that he was sick when he gave evidence and was cross-examined.
During the sitting of the Commission, Agrizzi gave evidence and was cross-examined from his hospital bed while receiving oxygen.
“Notwithstanding these observations, on the main pillars of Mr Agrizzi’s evidence, there was substantial corroboration,” the report stated.
According to the report, these included the investigations of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) reflected in their report; the evidence of other witnesses who were previously employed at Bosasa and were willing to incriminate themselves in their testimony; the video evidence put up, particularly that of the vault and safes where the cash was stored and distributed, with the handling of the cash under way, and in several instances, the admissions and concessions of the people implicated in his evidence.
* Please note that IOL/ POLITICS journalists are currently reading the voluminous report. This is a developing story.
kailene.pillay@inl.co.za
Political Bureau