Gavin Watson dismisses corruption allegations as ‘rants’ – report
The Bosasa boss has finally been cornered to say something about the allegations against him, and he doesn't seem bothered.
Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson, left, with then president Jacob Zuma on 11 April 2015 visiting the company’s Krugersdorp headquarters. Picture: Twitter
African Global Operations (formerly Bosasa) CEO Gavin Watson appears unfazed by the mounting corruption allegations emerging from the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, despite numerous assertions by witnesses that he played a central role in alleged corruption involving millions in bribes paid for state contracts.
The elusive Watson, who has declined media interviews amid the mounting controversy, was questioned by journalists in passing while driving in his BMW X5 outside his house.
He said he would only provide his version after testimonies were concluded.
According to a TimesLive report, the CEO described the explosive testimonies as “rants” urging those testifying to “rant and rave as much as they want”.
Refusing to comment, he said he would only “talk” once “it’s finished”, referring to the inquiry.
Bosasa has been at the centre of corruption allegations dating back to former president Jacob Zuma’s time in office.
Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi testified at the inquiry and implicated several officials, including journalists, in wide-scale corruption. In his testimony, Agrizzi took the commission through a video showing cash kept in vaults that was allegedly used to bribe officials for contracts, with Watson counting out millions personally.
The video also shows former Bosasa CFO Andries van Tonder taking money from one vault to another.
Agrizzi’s damning testimony implicated various top officials, including former department of correctional services commissioner Linda Mti, Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane and former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
The commission heard how Mokonyane was allegedly paid R50,000 a month for several years in exchange for political influence, while Mti allowed contracts to be awarded to Bosasa. He was allegedly paid around R65,000 a month.
On Wednesday, Agrizzi was among the suspects who appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court facing charges related to alleged corruption at the facilities management company. The arrest was in relation to a 2009 Special Investigating Unit report, which had been pending for over a decade.
Agrizzi and his co-accused, including Mti, were granted bail of R20,000 each.
A draft charge sheet listed Mti as accused number one, with the former DCS CFO Patrick Gillingham, Van Tonder, and companies Bosasa, Sondolo IT and Phezulu Fencing, which are Bosasa subsidiaries, as his co-accused.
The case was postponed to March 27, with all the accused instructed to hand over their passports.
The high-profile arrests followed a marathon investigation where almost R1.6 billion is said to have been misappropriated in the tender processes for the procurement of various services by the department of correctional services.
(Compiled by Gopolang Chawane)
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