ANC to make state capture submissions ‘at the appropriate time’

The secretary general of the governing African National Congress (ANC) Ace Magashule said the party would make submissions at the commission of inquiry into state capture at the appropriate time.

Magashule’s comment comes after the former chief operating officer (COO) of Bosasa, Angelo Agrizzi, implicated ANC MP Vincent Smith and the party’s member of the national executive committee (NEC) Nomvula Mokonyane, who is also the minister of environmental affairs.

In a statement Magashule issued on the outcomes of the NEC lekgotla which convened on January 20 to January 21, the party’s secretary general said the “ongoing startling allegations” at the commission were also discussed.

Magashule said the NEC reiterated its support for the work done by the commission and called on those with information on allegations of state capture to approach the inquiry.

The NEC said the commission should “hear all sides” so that when it would make its final determinations, those would be “just, thorough, and fair”, said Magashule in the statement.

He said the NEC further stated it would not comment on the work of the commission but would make submissions at an appropriate time.

Testimony from Agrizzi at the commission detailed how Smith was allegedly paid R100,000 a month for allegedly influencing committees at parliament.

Agrizzi further alleged that during the period running from 2002 to 2016, Mokonyane allegedly received R50,000 a month from Bosasa as well as Christmas groceries for many years, including 120 cases of cold drink, 40 cases of beer, four cases of quality whisky, 12 cases of frozen chicken, 200kg of beef braai packs, eight lambs, and eight cases of premium brandy.

Agrizzi’s testimony continues on Thursday where evidence leader advocate Paul Pretorius and the witness are interrogating the report of the special investigative unit (SIU) on the awarding of tenders by the department of correctional services to Bosasa.

Adv Pretorius is leading Agrizzi on issues arising out of the SIU Report. The SIU raided Mr Gillingham's house and found catering tender documents which Gillingham and Agrizzi worked on together. #StateCaptureInquiry

— State Capture Commission (@StateCaptureCom) January 23, 2019

The SIU in 2009 referred a report on the department-awarded tenders to Bosasa to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), however, as recent as last year, the authority had not taken any action.

Agrizzi confirmed some of the findings in the report, including that Bosasa gave benefits to the department’s officials around the time when the company was awarded a catering tender by the department.

He further confirmed the report’s finding that the former commissioner of the department, Linda Mti, in May 17, 2005, allegedly unlawfully extended the tender and that Sondolo IT – subsidiary of Bosasa which was awarded the tender to install TV network systems in prisons across the country – got the contract even though it was established a week before the set deadline for submitting the tender.

According to Agrizzi, Bosasa had complete access to tenders within the department.

Another tender awarded to the company’s subsidiary, Phezulu Fencing, was for fencing which, Agrizzi said, was given to the company despite it not complying with timeline requirements.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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