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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


Old picture of Gigaba with Agrizzi resurfaces on social media

Then home affairs minister Gigaba was inspecting a centre run by Bosasa, which reportedly cost R8m a month to operate.


Former COO of Bosasa Angelo Agrizzi’s testimony at the Zondo Commission on Wednesday and Thursday seems to have unearthed past interviews and pictures of the man with well-known South Africans.

On Wednesday, Agrizzi told the commission 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”. The former COO said Bosasa allegedly paid people bribes on a monthly basis so they could keep them under control and happy.

Since the testimonies, South Africans have been circulating an old picture of then home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba with Agrizzi having a sandwich during what looks like an inspection of one of the company’s managed facilities.

The picture was taken in October 2014 when Gigaba visited the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp to inspect it. The centre, run by Bosasa, is a repatriation centre for undocumented migrants in South Africa.

Gigaga told EWN at the time: “As you know, quite a number of things have been said about this facility over a number of years. There has been a lot of progress since the first time we opened the facility and started operating it. We have on site people from the security company providing particular services to the facility itself. But the administration of the facility is by an immigration officials employed by the department of home affairs, who are the ones who take responsibility of the registration of deportees.”

Also read: I used to do some of the ‘disposing’ of people who knew ‘too much’ – Agrizzi 

The facility also had a health clinic on site with an ambulance. It served three meals a day, which were ordered weekly.

IOL at the time also reported that Gigaba said the centre cost R8 million a month to operate.

Audio of Agrizzi talking about News24 editor Adriaan Basson has also resurfaced on social media. In the audio, Agrizzi talks about Basson visitng him at his house, an allegation Basson denied.

“The racism was exposed by City Press last year. He lies about me visiting his house with kids. I suspect he boasted to impress Watson’s kids. I only visited him once – alone – to try and get info from him,” explained Basson.

Also read: Agrizzi uses video footage to show how Bosasa allegedly paid bribes

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