Another leading ANC figure has paid a glowing tribute to controversial late Bosasa chief executive Gavin Watson.
ANC Nelson Mandela Bay regional task team convener, Nceba Faku told Independent Media the ANC held the Watson family in high regard due to their commitment to the fight against apartheid.
He described Gavin Watson as the “think tank” behind his three brothers, Daniel “Cheeky”, Valence and Ronald.
He said the Watsons worked underground during apartheid and that they were at the forefront of the Struggle.
Faku, a prisoner on Robben
Island and a former mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, said the Watsons assisted former exiles and contributed towards their reintegration into society on their return.
The ANC is scheduled to visit the family today but had not scheduled any event to honour Watson, according to Faku.
His tribute follows that of former Cabinet minister and ANC national executive committee member Nomvula Mokonyane’s at Watson’s memorial service in Johannesburg on Friday.
“Watson was not a capitalist, he was a freedom fighter,” Mokonyane said.
The Watsons had never expected to be awarded tenders for supporting the ANC during apartheid.
Mokonyane said she had frequented the Bosasa (now African Global Operations) offices because the company was accessible to ANC members.
She hit out at members of the ANC who she said now refused to be associated with party’s “old, dear friends”.
Mokonyane said should the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo want to find out how she knew Gavin Watson, she would tell them to ask Ronald Watson.
On Friday, the ANC paid tribute to Watson, with the party’s national spokesperson describing him as
an “anti-apartheid, activist-cum-
philanthropist”.
It recently emerged that Bosasa donated R3 million to the ANC in the run-up to the 2014 general elections.