JOHANNESBURG - A visibly peeved Angelo Agrizzi lashed out at weekend newspaper reports that he had placed his palatial home in Johannesburg on the market and was planning to leave South Africa for Italy.
The Sunday Times reported that Agrizzi's house was put up for sale, which was quickly withdrawn after inquiries were sent to Agrizzi on the property sale.
The former Bosasa chief operating officer told the state capture commission of inquiry that the newspaper report was false and that he was never contacted by the journalist for comment.
He said he informed commission investigator Frank Dutton that he would be going to Italy on a holiday after finishing giving evidence, as death threats he received were ''becoming more prevalent''.
''This is the same journalist that published the article that Bosasa gave the SABC8 a donation. This [weekend report] is based on single piece of paper given to them by someone at Bosasa. I never received questions from the journalist. He just phoned my son and my daughter-in-law, who is having a baby. Chairperson, when I embarked on this process I did inform Frank Dutton that I will be going to Italy... I came with an open heart to come here and help...then you get stories like these that are manufactured...it is disheartening,'' he said.
Agrizzi and his wife planned to downsize and sell their house and move into a townhouse.
''It is only myself and my wife who live in the house, chairperson. We planned to move into a townhouse..but because I am in a witness security programme, I am now in a hotel... we haven't moved in yet.''
Agrizzi lambasted the newspaper for publishing the location of his lavish house, priced at R13.5 million.
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