Angelo Agrizzi to be cross-examined by Mantashe, Frolick at State Capture Inquiry

Published Dec 3, 2019

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Johannesburg - Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi will face cross-examinations from Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe and former Parliamentary chair Cedrick Frolick.

The chairperson for the inquiry deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo granted Frolick and Mantashe's applications to cross-examine on Tuesday.

Both men have been implicated in Agrizzi's testimony. Agrizzi held a powerful position at Bosasa and testified that he witnessed widespread corruption involving bribing of officials and politicians in order to gain tenders for Bosasa.

In Mantashe's implication, Agrizzi testified that he, along with a string of politicians, had received security upgrades to their homes which were funded and installed by Bosasa. Agrizzi said Bosasa paid for upgrades to three properties belonging to Mantashe. These properties were located in Boksburg and in the Eastern Cape.

Mantashe denied the allegations and said he had funded the installations himself. Agrizzi later responded and said Mantashe was untruthful.

“One thing I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, Chair, all those installations were paid for by Bosasa operations and not by a director. The whole thing was kept away from me by Papa Leshabane (Bosasa director) who had arranged for a site visit to a property in Boksburg. At the first installation that they did, they appointed a sub-contractor to come and do the installations. I did not know about this until the sub-contractor had to be paid,” said Agrizzi.

He said the installations cost about R650 000.

Agrizzi also told the commission how Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson had pushed for the company to pay Parliament chairperson Cedric Frolick R40 000 a month.

The money, according to Agrizzi, was allegedly used to entice Frolick in an attempt to get closer to former correctional services committee chair Vincent Smith.

Mantashe was also granted permission to cross-examine Richard Le Roux, a Bosasa employee, who testified to installing security upgrades at Mantashe's home.

Zondo also took note of an application by broadcaster Redi Tlhabi who has asked to give evidence and cross-examine former president Jacob Zuma. The former president alleged that Tlhabi was part of a plot to smear his name and was working on a film that would be focused on his rape trial. 

The film would be titled "Rape by Power", Zuma testified.

Zondo said Zuma has until December 9 to submit an application opposing Tlhabi's bid to cross-examine.

The chairperson will make a ruling after he has received documents from Zuma.

Suspended Tiso Blackstar journalist Ranjeni Munusamy has also been granted leave to cross-examine crime intelligence official Colonel Dhanajaya Naidoo. Naidoo testified that Munusamy was a benefactor in the looting of the crime intelligence secret service account. Munusamy allegedly had her car paid off and repairs were done to her car using funds from the account. Munusamy has denied the allegations. 

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