JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 16: Former Bosasa Chief Operations Officer (COO) Angelo Agrizzi testifies at the Raymond Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture on January 16, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Agrizzi revealed that Bosasa spent R4m-R6m in a cash a month on bribing officials and politicians for contracts and tenders – Photo: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Alaister Russell
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 16: Former Bosasa Chief Operations Officer (COO) Angelo Agrizzi testifies at the Raymond Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture on January 16, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Agrizzi revealed that Bosasa spent R4m-R6m in a cash a month on bribing officials and politicians for contracts and tenders – Photo: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Alaister Russell
The man who sang like a canary at the state capture inquiry has also had his say on two of the biggest issues the commission is yet to investigate – in fact, both matters relate to our most-recent presidents. Angelo Agrizzi has spilt the beans once more, tackling the issue of both Jacob Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa during a Radio 702 interview.
Zuma is set to face the state capture inquiry in two weeks’ time, beginning on 15 July. A plethora of business figures and former political colleagues have implicated him in government-sponsored corruption, and he’ll have a week on the stand to argue against the mounting allegations.
Suspicions over the Bosasa payment to Cyril Ramaphosa
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa is under intense scrutiny for an alleged campaign donation he received from Bosasa as a back-hander. Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is currently investigating the nature of a rogue R500 000 that ended up in Cyril’s bank account during his ANC leadership bid.
Angelo Agrizzi started with Msholozi: The 77-year-old has rejected any claims that he is guilty of accepting money from Bosasa, despite the former executive saying that a bribe of R300 000 was personally delivered to Jacob Zuma. Agrizzi invited Zuma to cross-examine him when he finally appears at the commission later this month:
“The facts are the facts, I went into the commission and told the truth and I didn’t hold anything back. I said everything as it was and how I recalled it. If Mr Zuma doesn’t agree with what I said, he must come to the commission to come and cross-question me. I am well willing and able.”
Angelo Agrizzi
Angelo Agrizzi suspects something “very strange”
Asked if he had his suspicions about the payment Cyril Ramaphosa received from Bosasa, Agrizzi kept his cards close to his chest… although, his hand may have still been showing. He believes that the money transferred to the CR17 campaign was “very strange” – mainly because R500 000 is an extremely low figure, given the situation:
If you look at the CR17 campaign and ask me for my opinion on it, it’s all very strange how it happened. Take the Hlaudi Motsoeneng payment we gave him, at R1.2 million… that R500 000 sum is very low. I won’t say if it was a set-up or not, but the money Cyril received is strange to me.
Angelo Agrizzi
