State capture: Magistrate Desmond Nair charged over security contracts

Chief magistrate Desmond Nair appeared at the city’s Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday morning.

The magistrate has been charged with corruption linked to African Global or Global Technology Systems, a subsidiary of Bosasa, previously known as Sondolo IT.

During the State Capture Commission of Inquiry in 2019, Bosasa employee Richard Le Roux testified that the magistrate allegedly accepted R200 000 worth of security systems installations at his Pretoria home, including a full electric fence, CCTV and alarm systems.

Le Roux provided the commission with evidence about “special projects” he undertook at the behest of various Bosasa directors, including CEO Gavin Watson, chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi, Trevor Mathenjwa, Syvion Dlamini and Papa Leshabane.

Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said Nair allegedly granted the upgrades for his influence “to act in a dishonest or improper manner.”

Other beneficiaries

But the magistrate was not the only beneficiary of sophisticated Bosasa-sponsored home security systems.

Others include then-Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe (at the time ANC secretary-general), former South African Airways chair Dudu Myeni, deputy minister of Correctional Services Thabang Makwetla, ANC MP Vincent Smith, and the one-time procurement manager at Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Mbulelo Gingcana.

According to Le Roux’s testimony:

• Gwede Mantashe’s homes in Boksburg and the Eastern Cape received R300 000 worth of security installations, including CCTV and recording systems and perimeter lighting;
  
• Thabang Makwetla‘s single home installations consisted of an electric fence, alarm system, CCTV system and computer server worth R350 000;
  
• Mbulelo Gingcana‘s Randburg home received a R150 000 alarm and CCTV system;
  
• Dudu Myeni‘s Richards Bay home security system cost R250 000, complete with electric fencing, CCTV and an alarm system;
  
• Vincent Smith‘s home security work consisted of R200 000 worth of electric fencing, and a CCTV system; and
  
• Nomvula Mokonyane’s Krugersdorp property upgrades included fixing the pool pump and cleaning the garden, along with the installation of new security systems and work on electrical issues.
  
• There was also R350 000 worth of work consisting of 4km of electric fencing, perimeter lighting, and alarm system repairs to two properties belonging to former correctional services boss Linda Mti in Colchester and Greenbushes, outside Port Elizabeth.

The case has been postponed to 7 December for the defence to make representations.

Compiled by Narissa Subramoney

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