Categories: South Africa

Cedric Frolick ‘unwell’, testimony at Zondo commission postponed

The parliament’s chair of chairs, Cedric Frolick’s testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture has been postponed, with a date for his appearance to be announced in due course.

Chairperson of the commission Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo heard from the inquiry’s evidence leader on Monday that due to Frolick being “physically indisposed”, “he is unable to attend” the commission but would do so another date, which is yet to be arranged.

Zondo said Frolick had applied for leave to give evidence, following allegations by Bosasa former COO Angelo Agrizzi that a bag of money from Bosasa was slid into Frolick’s pocket, that the company’s late boss, Gavin Watson, gave an instruction that Frolick should receive a monthly R40,000, and that he, Frolick, had visited the controversial company’s office park.

READ MORE: Bag of money slid into pocket of parliament’s chair of chairs, says Agrizzi

Zondo said considering that Frolick “is apparently unwell”, the date for his appearance will be determined and announced by himself in due course.

The commission will on Monday hear Bosasa-related testimony from a private contractor Charl Le Roux.

The evidence leader said the genesis of Le Roux’s evidence was the allegations Agrizzi gave as testimony, including that a Bosasa special projects did repairs at the house of former minister of environmental affairs, Nomvula Mokonyane.

Another witness, an employee of a Bosasa subsidiary, GTS (formerly known as Sondolo IT), Richard Le Roux told the commission last year about the repairs that were done at Mokonyane’s house.

READ MORE: Bosasa gave Mokonyane, Myeni, Mantashe and more home makeovers

Zondo recalled on Monday that Agrizzi had implicated a number of people during his testimony, including politicians.

Zondo said among other things, Agrizzi had testified that there were a number of people who were given monthly payments by Bosasa, including Mokonyane.

He said Agrizzi had also told the commission of a visit by himself and Watson where Mokonyane was allegedly given money.

Agrizzi also told the commission of deliveries of groceries that Bosasa made to Mokonyane on a number of occasions, the chair recalled.

The commission asked Mokonyane to dispose to an affidavit, which she submitted, denying that Bosasa had paid her money and that Agrizzi had visited the house, Zondo recalled.

Zondo said the testimony on Monday stems from further investigations by the commission following Mokonyane’s affidavit.

The commission’s investigators visited Mokonyane’s residence on Sunday to determine whether the security upgrades Bosasa installed at her residence are there, Zondo said, adding that the former minister’s lawyers were present on Sunday and that Mokonyane was very cooperative.

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By Makhosandile Zulu