Bosasa claims it has no contract with Ramaphosa's son

Bosasa (now African Global Operations) claims that there is no contract between the company and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s son, Andile.

This comes after DA leader Mmusi Maimane submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) request to the company.

Bosasa chair Joe Gumede said in its reply on December 6: “There exists no record that fits the description, ‘contract and invoice for R500,000 financial consulting services provided by the president’s son, Andile Ramaphosa, to Bosasa (now African Global Operations)’.”

Maimane originally brought attention to the Bosasa payment with a question to Ramaphosa in parliament.

Ramaphosa first said the payment was to Andile for consultancy work. He later issued a correction, claiming he had subsequently learnt that the money was paid on behalf of Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson into a trust account that was used to fund his election campaign.

Ramaphosa said he had been unaware of the donation when he had responded to Maimane’s question.

In his response to the DA, Gumede said the company “declines to furnish this record as the record is not required by you for the exercise or protection of any right as required in Section 50(1)(a) of Act 2 of 2000.”

Maimane described this as a “blanket refusal” from Bosasa to grant access to any contracts involving Andile.

“The fact that Bosasa gave a R500,000 ‘donation’ to Cyril Ramaphosa’s election campaign to become ANC president while the company does business with his son and receives billions of rands in lucrative tenders from government cannot be ignored?”