Here is what happened the last time Angelo Agrizzi took the stand at state capture inquiry

28 March 2019 - 08:15 By Cebelihle Bhengu
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Former COO of corruption-accused facilities management company Bosasa Angelo Agrizzi gives testimony at the state capture commission.
Former COO of corruption-accused facilities management company Bosasa Angelo Agrizzi gives testimony at the state capture commission.
Image: Alaister Russell/The Sunday Times

Two months after grabbing headlines for his testimony at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi is set to return to the stand on Thursday.

At his last appearance, Agrizzi revealed that the company had spent up to R6m a month in bribes.

He dropped bombshell after bombshell, all the while dominating social media timelines.

Here are six revelations from Agrizzi:

Politicians implicated: Jacob Zuma and Nomvula Mokonyane

Nomvula Mokonyane, who is the minister of environmental affairs, was heavily implicated by Agrizzi, who alleged that she gained personally from the controversial company and that they were close.

Agrizzi allegedly received calls from Mokonyane’s daughter, requesting an Audi A3 cabriolet. He further claimed that after various car crashes, he offered to take her for driving lessons.

Mokonyane also allegedly received payments to cover the tracks of former president Jacob Zuma and Agrizzi.

Agrizzi told the commission that Mokonyane received monthly payments amounting to R50,000 to "handle" his and Zuma’s prosecutions, which he claimed she never did.

Zuma’s birthday cake

Zuma’s 72nd birthday cake was not only sponsored by Bosasa, but designed by Agrizzi, who went as far as ensuring that Bosasa’s logo featured on the cake.

Bosasa sponsored ANC rallies in Gauteng

“There were rallies where we would have to cater for 40,000 or 50,000 people. We would get ridiculous requests, saying we would need to cater for supporters, 10,000 at a time," Agrizzi said.

He claimed that funding of the ruling party’s election campaign came from Bosasa coffers, allegedly at the request of Mokonyane.

R3.4m recycled

Agrizzi alleged that the department of social development, which was headed by minister Bathabile Dlamini at the time, paid the company R3.4 million for IT software that cost the company nothing.

Instead of declining not taking the money, Agrizzi claimed they took it and poured it back to the party for one of its electioneering campaigns.

R4m to 6m in government bribes

Agrizzi told the commission that the controversial company had a strong hold on government officials, who got paid up to R6m in bribes. He claimed that these monies were not paid as a lump sum, but rather in smaller amounts.

This so the officials did what former Bosasa former bosses wanted. He further claimed that all these monies were kept in a vault on the company’s premises, making it easy to access it should politicians need it.

NPA bribes

Officials from the National Prosecuting Authority were allegedly bribed to impede the prosecution of Bosasa employees who were implicated by the in a Special Investigating Unit.

Nomgcobo Jiba, her then secretary Jackie Lepinka Lephinka and former head of the Specialised COmmercial Crime Unit Lawrence Mrwebi were allegedly all paid bribes by Bosasa.

Jiba, who refuted these claims, was allegedly paid R100,000.


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now