Johannesburg - Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has yet again been mentioned at the Zondo commission, this time she has been accused of receiving R50 000 a month from Bosasa.
Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi returned to the witness stand on Thursday and told the inquiry how he was present on two occasions when Mokonyane, who was then the premier of Gauteng, would be handed a bag filled with cash.
He said there was also another occasion where he was not present when the money was handed over, but Watson had indicated that he was on his way to meet with Mokonyane. All these handovers would happen at Mokonyane’s house.
She was Gauteng premier between 2009 and 2014.
“We had packed R50 000 in a bag and we would wait in the lounge and there was an entrance hall. So we left the bag on the chair next to her. The second one I was present at the house in Krugersdorp and it (bag of money) was handed over,” said Agrizzi.
Agrizzi also told the commission about other instances where Mokonyane would receive other “gifts” from Bosasa.
He repeated a previous story told by Bosasa employee Richard Le Roux. The former COO said he and Watson had on one occasion gone to Mokonyane’s Krugersdorp home and it was decided that her whole security system needed to be replaced.
Le Roux was called in for the job and fixed the CCTV, security gate and the company even fixed the swimming pool and garden for Mokonyane. All these installations were funded by Bosasa. He said this work probably costs between R300 000 and R400 000.
The company also did other favours for Mokonyane and on one occasion Agrizzi organised for her daughter to receive a hired car.
When asked why Watson felt the need to do this, Agrizzi said he was always told that Mokonyane was useful and powerful.
The evidence leader for the commission, Advocate Paul Pretorius, told the commission that Mokonyane was at one point in charge of approving a project which involved the Watson family.
Agrizzi also confirmed to the commission how he was often called late at night to organise food parcels for various ANC events. He said he would often work throughout the night to ensure that these parcels were delivered for various rallies such as the ANC’s Siyangoba rally.
“We were involved in 2014 one (war-room) and we had to arrange a massive call centre and the other half would CCTV access controlled. If I asked a question I was told to shut up and do it. The cost of running the war-room ran into millions with dedicated live streaming. Nomvula Mokonyane requested it,” said Agrizzi.
Earlier, Agrizzi told the commission that Bosasa was awarded over R2 billion in government contracts between 2000 and 2016. He said R70 million in bribes were paid during this time in connection with the tenders awarded to the company by various government departments.
About 38 named and unnamed government officials received bribes from Bosasa.
The inquiry continues.