Riyaz Patel
ANC National Executive Committee Nomvula Mokonyane roasted those in her governing party whom she claims have turned their backs on the late Bosasa boss Gavin Watson.
Striking a menacing tone while paying tribute to Watson at his memorial service in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg, she threatened to reveal all when the right time comes.
“My time will come. I will tell what Gavin has done and not what [former Bosasa CFO Angelo] Agrizzi is saying… that time will come and I will tell my story. I came to know Watson the freedom fighter and have never distanced myself from him and will never do that,” she said to loud cheers from mourners gathered at the Little Falls church.
Watson died in a car crash outside the OR Tambo International Airport early Monday morning.
Watson’s family and Bosasa employees gathered at the church to pay homage to the businessman they described as “our leader.”
They sang and praised their late CEO whom they said was being crucified by the media the same way Jesus Christ was vilified.
Widow of slain SA Communist Party leader Chris Hani, Limpho Hani, was also at the service.
Mokonyane, the former water affairs minister, lashed at those in the ANC who “turned their backs” on Watson and refused to be associated with him anymore.
“You looked after them after they returned from exile, you built them houses and educated some of them and their kids. Today they don’t wanna be associated with you. Some of them have gotten bigger than you, are richer than you… some of them live in bigger houses than yours and drive bigger cars,” she said.
“Thank you for supporting the ANC when it was not fashionable to do so. Thank you for taking care of the vulnerable in Kagiso, Northern Cape and in Limpopo. Thank you.”
Mokanyane continued, “If you ask me why I frequented Bosasa offices, I will tell you that’s because Bosasa was friendly to the ANC. This is a family that never shied from Nomvula. They never shied away from Surge Mokonyane [her late husband] the terrorist who associated with Winnie Madikizela-Mandela when it was not popular to do so. Our story will be told,” Mokonyane said.
“Gavin was no capitalist, he loved life. On what he did with Agrizzi, only God will judge. To the family, let us hold on to that God’s prayer. I say to you Gavin, love everybody but trust no one.”
Agrizzi alleged that Watson was the mastermind behind Bosasa’s dodgy contracts with the government worth billions of rands.
The former CFO told the state capture commission of inquiry that he was tasked with organising bribes in cash for former president Jacob Zuma, Cartier pens, a Louis Vuitton bag stuffed with banknotes for former South African Airways board chairwoman Dudu Myeni.
And in the case of Mokonyane, Agrizzi claimed Watson paid for the funeral service of Mokonyane’s relatives, and gifted Mokonyane with expensive alcohol, along with huge orders of food and drinks for Christmas.
Watson will be buried next week in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape.
