Angelo Agrizzi at State Capture: ‘I’m no longer a racist’

Former Bosasa Chief Operations Officer (COO) Angelo Agrizzi has told the State Capture Commission that he is a changed man and no longer an unashamed racist.

Agrizzi appeared virtually before the commission on Thursday afternoon, 24 June 2021, and was cross-examined by businessman Kevin Wakeford.

When Agrizzi took the stand at the State Capture Commission in January 2019, he admitted to being a racist.

But, fast-forward to June 2021, Agrizzi now claims he has learnt his lesson and no longer discriminates by skin colour, much thanks to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and its Gauteng head, Buang Jones.

He told the commission that at some point, he visited the Alexandra township in Johannesburg, which further reaffirmed his sudden change of heart.

“I was honest and I spoke and I explained to the chairperson (deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo) exactly what I had done wrong. And I went and sought help for that,” he said.

“I’m no longer a racist. They have assisted me and they helped me not to think of race as a colour. I’ve become aware and I’ve worked with them, even in Alexandra, and I enjoyed it.  So my answer to advocate Wallis is, ‘No. There is no longer even a racist thing in my mind.’”

Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi

Angelo Agrizzi vs Kevin Wakeford

Kevin Wakeford had told the State Capture Commission, in his earlier testimony, that Angelo Agrizzi was a racist and narcissist.

In 2019, Agrizzi told the commission that Wakeford received R100 000 a month to influence SA Revenue Service investigations into Bosasa.

Wakeford’s legal counsel, advocate Reg Willis, cross-examined Agrizzi, asking him whether it was possible that the evidence he had presented concerning his client was fallible or if he had made a mistake in his testimony.

Willis also asked Agrizzi whether he despised his client or the late Gavin Watson, who was his boss.

“Mr Agrizzi, the evidence of Mr Wakeford was that you despise him. You despise Mr Wakeford, don’t you? You also despise the late Mr Watson?” asked Willis.

Agrizzi answered: “That’s not true. The environment that he created and put us into the situation that we are in today, I despise. There was no such thing as despising Mr Wakeford”