Zondo hears about ‘unusual’ relationship between Bain and Zuma

A contract between global management consulting firm Bain & Company and events company Ambrobrite helped facilitate engagements with former president Jacob Zuma and other government officials, Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo heard this afternoon.

Testifying on Tuesday, former employee and Bain partner Athol Williams told the commission that Ambrobrite, owned by Muvhango executive producer Duma Ndlovu and Mandla KaNozulu, did not have a background history or tax certificate.

“Chair, there’s what they state in this contract and what materialised and what happened, but what they state in this contract is in itself for me is shocking,” Williams said.

ALSO READ: Bain was ‘concerned’ about Massone’s ethics, ex-partner tells Zondo

“For them to….just that statement that the evidence leader [Alistair Franklin] said that based on their intelligence so again we are not talking about public sector consultants or business consultants.

“We talking about artists who say by their intelligence they know of strategic changes happening in our public institutions and leadership changes…for me that’s incredibly troubling and that begins to hint what the contract is actually about,” he said.

“So this contract seems to portray itself as one where these are local experts who are going to help Bain be successful. When I read this it sounds like two individuals who are very close to politicians and are able to open doors to politicians for Bain.”

Mr. William says the individuals employed by the company bring together a wealth of expertise and experience as the company targets the top of the cream when it engages skills personnel for the projects it gets involved in. #StateCaptureInquiry

— State Capture Commission (@StateCaptureCom) March 23, 2021

He said one of the things Ambrobrite did for Bain was to arrange a party which Zuma attended, before any contract was signed between the two companies.

“It was troubling the contract wanted to identify leadership changes and focus was introduced us to the key decision makers,” Williams said.

READ MORE: Bain & Co asks Zondo to make affidavit public

Zondo noted it was quite interesting that at Sars they appeared to have chosen to have a new commissioner.

Williams told the commission it seemed that Bain was Zuma’s consulting company of choice and 12 meetings were conducted behind closed doors.

He now deals with facilitating international government meetings, he mentions an email chain from 7 to 18 September 2015 indicating that Bain was facilitating meetings between South Africa and Italian senior police officials including Interpol Italy. #StateCaptureInquiry

— State Capture Commission (@StateCaptureCom) March 23, 2021

He further said an “unusual payment” of R50,000 was made by Bain in October 2015 to the ANC Youth League .

He said former Bain managing partner Vittorio Massone paid for an ANCYL party, which catered for 350 people, after an invoice was received from KaNozulu.

Zondo also heard that Bain was facilitating international meetings between SAPS and senior Italian police officials, including Interpol Italy.

Watch the proceedings below, courtesy of the SABC:

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