Agrizzi says he designed Zuma’s 72nd birthday cake

Bosasa former chief operating officer (COO) Angelo Agrizzi told the commission of inquiry into state capture on Monday that Bosasa provided catering for a number of ANC 2016 election rallies, designed Jacob Zuma’s 72nd birthday cake, and provided maintenance for Minister of Environmental Affairs Nomvula Mokonyane.

Agrizzi said that he had designed the cake for former president Jacob Zuma’s 72^nd birthday with the ANC colours, the party’s flag, and the Bosasa logo.

Agrizzi was giving testimony at the commission where the cake’s photograph, which was submitted as evidence, was looked at by Agrizzi, evidence leader advocate Paul Pretorius, and the inquiry’s chair, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Agrizzi’s testimony also revealed that Bosasa had provided catering for Zuma’s birthday party and at various rallies of the governing party dubbed Siyanqoba rallies ahead of the 2016 local government elections.

He said he was responsible for authorising and signing off for preparations for the ANC rallies.

“Sorry, chair, it is too many to remember,” Agrizzi responded when asked by Zondo on how many rallies Bosasa catered for, saying “it was well over 10”.

He said most of these rallies were in the Gauteng province.

Agrizzi said the company also provided maintenance at the house of Mokonyane which is in Roodepoort.

Agrizzi said he and Watson had gone to the house for a walkabout to determine what maintenance had to be provided.

Agrizzi was instructed by the CEO of the company, Gavin Watson, to conduct an analysis costing approximately R2 million of the security in various hospitals, and that he completed a report which he submitted to Watson who subsequently gave it to Mokonyane. This was around 2008 and 2009 when Mokonyane was the Gauteng MEC for security and safety.

However, he said the company did not receive any payment for producing the report.

In 2014, the company was again asked to provide analysis of securing the dams in the country when Mokonyane was the minister of water and sanitation and that the company was never paid for the report which cost Bosasa R1.3 million.

Watch Agrizzi testify at the commission:

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