Jessie Duarte denies receiving money from Agrizzi or the Watsons
The deputy secretary-general of the ANC says she knows the Watsons, but that's about as far as it goes.
ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte. Picture: Refilwe Modise
The deputy secretary-general of the governing ANC has denied receiving money either from former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi, the Watson family or the controversial company.
This after Agrizzi on Thursday told the commission of inquiry into state capture that the company had donated millions to the governing party’s top six.
She was speaking on the ANC campaign trail in Cape Town, and said she had never personally received a cent from Agrizzi and had never even met him.
“I’m not aware of any of what Mr Agrizzi is saying and therefore it must be tested. That’s why we have asked to cross-examine him. This is about the integrity of people and it’s wrong for people to step out into a commission of inquiry and simply say things without corroborating it,” she told reporters while vote-canvassing.
Duarte added that Agrizzi had been unable to back his claim that the ANC’s so-called top six received up to R12 million from Bosasa, when the head of the inquiry, Judge Raymond Zondo asked him to do so.
“The reason he was unable to do so is there are no facts. Mr Agrizzi has every right to go to the Zondo Commission and we have every right go there and cross-examine him. We will do so.”
Duarte further said she had never received money from any of the Watsons, though she does know the family.
Agrizzi clarified at the commission on Friday that the donation had not been made to individuals in the ANC’s top six but to the party itself.
Agrizzi on Friday said the large donation the company made to the ANC’s top six was presented to the governing party’s leadership structure by a delegation from the company, which included CEO Gavin Watson.
He said he could not recall the exact amount of the cheque that was presented to the party’s top six, saying it could have been R8 million, R10 million, or R12 million.
(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)
READ MORE: Bosasa delegation presented large donation to ANC’s top six
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