How social media unpacked this picture of Zuma and Gavin Watson

A picture of former president Jacob Zuma dancing at his birthday party was shared on social media by author Zakes Mda on Sunday and South Africans had a field day. The picture shows the former president dancing, as he usually does when the event allows, however, Bosasa chief executive Gavin Watson, the man who is cheering the president on, grabbed social media users’ attention.

Watson seems to be enjoying watching the former president dance as he claps his hands.

Twerking for Gavin pic.twitter.com/3udsHBN1fL

— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) January 20, 2019

Bosasa’s former chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi testified on Monday that he designed the former president’s birthday cake. The logo of the company can be seen in a picture of the cake that has been circulating on social media.

The cake, @karynmaughan. #StateCaptureInquiry pic.twitter.com/Xm0mWZzmag

— Lethabo🖖 (@MandelaMinutes) January 21, 2019

News24 quoted Dudu Myeni in 2015 as saying that Bosasa “provided its services of catering to the party” and that there was no personal relationship between Watson and the former president.

Then Bosasa spokesperson Papa Leshabane also slammed the publication for its apparent “emerging agenda-driven campaign to discredit the company”.

“Your questions, regrettably, insinuates that African Global has a special relationship with president Jacob Zuma and the African National Congress (ANC). African Global has no special relationship with president Zuma. Like any other corporate entity anywhere in the world, African Global does interact with the ANC as the current ruling party of our republic,” he was quoted as saying by the publication.

Agrizzi testified at the Zondo Commission last week, stating that the company spent between R4 million and R6 million monthly on bribing various persons in positions of authority in certain entities who were “useful and supportive of the organisation”.

Agrizzi alleged Watson used his political ties and paid millions to union bosses and government officials to win lucrative contracts at state-owned firms and at mining companies.

These were some of the reactions on social media:

Jacob Zuma dancing at his party

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