Clement Manyathela
JOHANNESBURG – Former Bosasa executive Angelo Agrizzi has revealed to the state capture commission that the facilities company spent between R4 million and R5 million in a cash a month on bribing officials and politicians for contracts and tenders.
He testified at the inquiry on Wednesday and is expected to be back on the stand on Thursday morning.
Agrizzi has revealed that he and current Bosasa chairperson Joe Gumede used to take grey security bags full of money and bribed people in exchange for tenders, including officials at the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa).
He claims after being bribed, Acsa awarded the company a five-year security contract.
He was asked how much money Bosasa spent on bribing officials.
“We’re just talking about cash, not other favours; it’s between R4 million and R6 million a month.”
Agrizzi also claimed that there was cash amounting to millions of rand that would be kept in a vault on the company’s premises.
He says the company did not give bribes in lump sums but opted to make monthly payments to ensure people they bribed were beholden to them.
Agrizzi says that in 2001, Bosasa secured a tender from Acsa which was renewed every five years to guard a multi-story car park.
He also claims that Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson knew in advance that his company would get the tender.
Agrizzi says money bags were delivered to officials at Acsa.
“Often we would take the security bags filled with money and give it to certain people at OR Tambo [International Airport]. The plastic bags were a security bag very similar to your standard SAPS evidence bags. They were serialised and they would have a tamper-proof seal.”
Meanwhile, Acsa says that it will investigate the credibility of Agrizzi’s testimony at the state capture commission.
Acsa says that it will cooperate with the state capture inquiry and will provide the necessary information when required to do so.
Additional reporting by Mia Lindeque.
