Agrizzi ‘critically ill’, despite ICU photo op

An image of an ailing Angelo Agrizzi hooked up to various machines in an ICU ward and clutching a copy of his new tell-all book, Inside the Belly of the Beast, is causing a major stir on social media. The book, written by Agrizzi, was published virtually on 2 November.

The picture, taken by publisher Melinda Ferguson of Truth Be told Publishing, has South Africans questioning Agrizzi’s condition.

The former Bosasa chief operating officer is infamous for his damning graft allegations in 2019 at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, where he implicated Bosasa, ANC leaders, and government officials. In his book, he delves deeper into his allegations, revealing more impropriety, names and dates.

Having been rushed to ICU after suffering from a heart attack on 21 October, he was placed on life support. Cuffed to his bed and his ward under heavy guard at all times, he’s undergoing dialysis and breathing through a ventilator.

Bail was granted under strict terms and he had to put up his R16 million Italian property as surety.

Ferguson spoke to The Citizen about how she managed to capture the moment and the backlash she has incurred it.

“Concerning me being allowed into ICU, it’s very hard to get in. I have never met Angelo and he had previously wanted to meet me, so I begged his wife to let me see him…

“I had to speak to the hospital manager. Because the truth is it might be the only time I ever get the opportunity. Angelo is critically ill and if he doesn’t make it, I would have never gotten the opportunity,” she said.

Ferguson describes him as “absolutely critically ill”, even if people don’t believe it.

“I wanted to see him holding his book, which he worked very hard on.

Regarding the picture, Ferguson said: “ The comments I’ve read about the machines being off are ridiculous. What you don’t see in the picture is a bank of machines that are all plugged in.”

Melinda Ferguson. Picture: Supplied

“From the angle that I took it, there were probably machines that weren’t plugged in because you cannot possibly be on 40 machines at one time. On the other side, he’s on permanent dialysis which he has once a day for hours. I didn’t shoot that because I didn’t expect people to be asking these types of things.”

She said she might have underestimated the response she would get from social media.

“I thought I wrote a story that updated people because the public has been asking what’s going on with Agrizzi.

“There’s pack mentality on Twitter at the moment and that’s ok too because it sparked a conversation that needs to happen,” Ferguson said.

She admits that she placed the book on his chest.

READ MORE: Agrizzi stable but not ready to leave ICU, says lawyer

“He did not ask for that [placing of the book]. He’s gone this far, he wrote the book and he put it out. He is a whistleblower and undeniably corrupt [but] people should take it for what it is. I’m not taking any of what’s being said about me personally.”

Speaking about the book, Ferguson said that she wasn’t initially keen, until she actually read it, and was “blown away”.

“The content was incredibly important for South Africans to read and is certainly not a herofication of Agrizzi.”

Ferguson worked with Agrizzi and co-author Phillipa Mitchell, aiming not to portray him as a victim, while being honest about the nefarious role he played in his allegations.

“The book isn’t about him playing a hero, it’s a very insightful, hard-hitting investigative memoir where the subject delivers information the SA public have every right to engage with,” Ferguson said.

Angelo Agrizzi’s tell-all book.

“I want to reiterate that corruption has become a serious scourge in SA. It has become so pervasive that it’s the way business is done in  SA today. What should have been a time when the majority of South Africans reaped the reward of democracy has become populated with greedy people and I’m referring to the white men of Bosasa, of Steinhoff, and members of the ANC and others.”

“Our country is in a terrible state because of companies like Bosasa and the likes of Gavin Watson [the late Bosasa chief executive] and Agrizzi. We are sitting in a terrible state of poverty where people don’t even have access to the very basics like housing and service delivery. These are the results of the raping and pillaging by the Guptas and Bosasas of this country.”

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