Five must-read Gavin Watson stories

The death of Gavin Watson continues to make headlines as the circumstances around his car crash are scrutinised. 

Bosasa CEO Watson died in a car crash near OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Monday morning.

Here are five must-read Watson stories:

Vincent Smith

Bosasa, which first made headlines in 2009 after a Special Investigating Unit report detailed tender corruption by the department of correctional services, returned to SA's attention in September last year when the DA investigated justice and correctional services portfolio committee chair and ANC MP Vincent Smith for allegedly receiving payments from Bosasa.

Smith allegedly received R670‚000 from Bosasa (now African Global Operations) over the past three years.

He also reportedly received security upgrades at his home worth R200‚000 plus R100‚000 in monthly cash payments from Watson.

CR17 donation

Fast forward to 2019, he made a R500,000 donation to President Cyril Ramaphosa's CR17 campaign.

Ramaphosa revealed that his campaign to oust Jacob Zuma at the ANC's conference in Nasrec last year was partly funded by Bosasa, which was also trading with his son Andile.

State capture

Watson's company was also heavily implicated in state capture allegations.

Former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi on Monday said the possibility of the late CEO trying to flee the country could not be ruled out.

"If you consider the charges that would come against him, I mean it would be very plausible."

Death

Watson died when the car he was driving, a company Toyota Corolla, hit a bridge pillar near the R21.

TimesLIVE reported that police have opened a culpable homicide case while his family has released a statement requesting privacy.

In a statement, the ANC described Watson as a dedicated anti-apartheid activist.

"Cde Gavin in particular also played a significant role in providing support, through the family businesses, to many activists and operatives of uMkhonto weSizwe who were being pursued by the police and fleeing Port Elizabeth and the Eastern Cape as a whole, at the time."

Inquiry into tax affairs

Watson was due to testify at an inquiry into his tax affairs on Tuesday.

SowetanLIVE reported that Watson was subpoenaed to testify about whether he and his companies had given accurate information to the SA Revenue Service following the damaging testimony of Agrizzi at the Zondo inquiry into state capture.