Johannesburg - In the wake of the shock demise of the chief executive officer of Bosasa, Gavin Watson, the Hawks says they will soon meet with their team of investigators who are working on the company’s probe to chart a way forward.
Watson, 71, who died in a car accident outside OR Tambo International Airport on Monday morning while driving his company’s Toyota Corolla, was linked to the massive probe as the head of the company.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said their probe against the company, which was outed by its former chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi before the state capture commission as having bribed a legion of politicians and government officials, was going well until the demise of Watson.
“I can only say that there are no challenges we have experienced so far. The investigations are still going on and with the latest tragedy that has happened, we still have to find out from the investigating team and the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) as what is the way forward in terms of the investigation,” Mulaudzi told Independent Media on Monday.
Mulaudzi insisted that they were probing Bosasa as a company, not an individual like Watson and whoever was found to have done something unlawful was going to be prosecuted.
“We were investigating Bosasa, we are still busy with the investigation and whoever is implicated will have to account. But it is wrong to pinpoint a particular person who is alleged to be involved. We have to satisfy ourselves that based on what we have then take the docket to the NPA which will then issue an instruction to arrest,” he said.
In February this year, the Hawks and the NPA took flak from the public when it arrested seven current and ex Bosasa executives but did not arrest Watson. They also arrested former correctional services boss, Linda Mti and Patrick Gillingham.
In a slew of allegations against the company Bosasa is also alleged to have donated R3 million to the ANC and once catered for Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee meetings. It also allegedly donated R500 000 to the CR17 campaign and installed surveillance cameras in the homes of minister Gwede Mantashe and deputy minister Thabang Makwetla.