Agrizzi’s son Giancarlo opens up about involvement with the ANC and Linda Mti

Angelo Agrizzi’s son Giancarlo on Tuesday evening clarified his relationship with former prisons boss Linda Mti, while also talking about what he had experienced while working for the ANC in Gauteng.

His father, the headline-grabbing former Bosasa chief operations officer turned whistleblower, today implicated the former national commissioner of correctional services, Mti, as the alleged recipient of a R65,000 monthly payment, among other bribes, in order to facilitate tenders for Bosasa in the South African prison system.

READ MORE HERE: How Linda Mti, other execs were allegedly ‘bought’ by Bosasa

Giancarlo Agrizzi said that in 2014 he was approached by his father – who he said was under the instructions of Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson – to start a company with Mti that would provide “consultancy services to various government agencies”.

One of the directors and shareholders was to be Mti’s son Vukani, said Giancarlo.

“I met with Linda Mti and Vukani Mti at Clearwater Mall with Angelo Agrizzi.”

Giancarlo claimed he was “coerced”, or in effect talked into, starting the company, which was registered under the GLZ Group of Companies trading as the Indlala Group of Companies. He was, however, careful to clarify that he and a university friend who was also involved had never received any financial reward himself from the arrangement.

“I was told that this was to assist us as the youth and that there was nothing untoward in this regard. It later become known to me that there was a dubious relationship between Mr Linda Mti and Mr Gavin Watson from Bosasa, now known as African Global.

“I immediately ceased work for the Indlala Group of Companies, as did one of the other directors, Mr Luyolo Mphiti. Neither myself nor Luyolo Mphiti were awarded any financial incentives during the time Indlala ran; the company also did not receive any contracts from any state agency. My relationship with Mr Mphiti emanates from our time while studying together at the University of the Witwatersrand.”

He said he was later employed in the ANC Caucus in Gauteng, “wherein there are various accusations being raised that [ANC MP and Bosasa-bribe accused] Mr Vincent Smith assisted me in getting a job at the ANC”.

“I have already made it public knowledge that I was employed by the then secretary of Caucus, Mr Sipho Makama, and was hired on the basis that my qualifications exceeded those of the job request.”

He claimed that during his time at the ANC, he was “coerced by a gentleman who is a current employee of Bosasa [managing director of Sondolo IT Division of Bosasa] to allow Bosasa to do branding for the ANC’s campaign and arrange a helicopter for the [ANC’s] Siyaqonba rally on July the 4th.”

He attached images to show “how Bosasa [had] made up the branding in their office park in Mogale City”.

Image: Supplied by Giancarlo Agrizzi.

“In the picture you can see Bosasa employees making up branding. I have also attached images of WhatsApp messages between two Bosasa employees regarding the branding and helicopter.”

Image: Supplied by Giancarlo Agrizzi.

“Bosasa initially explained to me that this was a donation out of good faith to the ANC and that I simply needed to request the branding from them in order for them to be able to process it. The estimated cost of the branding to the best of my knowledge was in excess of R200,000. After the branding was delivered, I was approached to do introductions to the premier of the province, Mr David Makhura, and Mr Paul Mashatile [currently the ANC’s treasurer-general].”

Giancarlo said that when he became aware that the reason for the branding donation was that he would be expected to facilitate meetings with senior politicians in Gauteng – because Bosasa was apparently “battling to get work out of Gauteng” … “I immediately refused to do this and said that it went against the ethics of the ANC and I would not facilitate any meetings.”

He said he later ended his employment with the ANC – which began as manager of research and ended as secretary of caucus – when he learnt that Brian Hlongwa (the former ANC chief whip) and Sochayile Khanyile (the current chief whip) “had a relationship with an IT company called World Tel and the contracts were being inflated”.

“I openly opposed this contract but was advised by the former finance manager that I should not even try. World Tel owner Mr Shalin Govender had a close relationship with Mr Hlongwa and Mr Khanyile. I believe the contract remains in place to date and the relationship still exists between all parties.

“Mr Govender has also entertained both Mr Hlongwa, Mr Khanyile and myself and my wife at his residence in Bryanston.”

29 September 2019: Update: The name of an individual who was implicated by Giancarlo Agrizzi in his initial statement was redacted owing to his not having been offered a right of reply and The Citizen now being aware of his lack of involvement in the matters raised by Giancarlo.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.