State capture report live updates: Bosasa an ‘organised crime syndicate’

The third installment of the state capture report was released late on Tuesday evening and deals primarily with how Bosasa used gifts and cash to influence ANC heavyweights.

Based on the testimonies given by Angelo Agrizzi and other witnesses, Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo concluded that “Bosasa established a reasonably well-organised network of well-placed, well-connected and powerful people”.

State Capture report, Part 3

Bosasa’s influence

The 1,000-page report lays bare how their “loyalty was secured with financial and other material incentives and bribes”.

Bosasa used their access to ANC higher-ups to “promote and protect the private interests of Bosasa by irregular procurement and practices to extract money from the state in very substantial amounts.”

Implicated in state capture report

Jacob Zuma

Former president Jacob Zuma was implicated in all three state capture commission reports, through his relationship with Gavin Watson, who served as Chief Executive Officer of Bosasa.

In return for incentives from Watson, Zuma secured lucrative government contracts by allegedly bribing several politicians and government officials.

The report said there were “reasonable grounds” and “sufficient evidence” of Watson and Bosasa providing “inducements and gain to Mr Zuma, aimed at gaining influence over [Zuma]”.

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Gwede Mantashe

The report also highlights how Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe benefitted from Bosasa Operations when security upgrades were installed at his properties.

Mantashe testified on 19 March 2021 in relation to Bosasa and also deposed two affidavits dated 8 March 2019 and 18 June 2019 – both in relation to Bosasa.

“Whilst the value of the installations may be in dispute, the fact of the installations, and the fact that they were not paid for by Mantashe, is common cause. The provision of free security installations was manifestly part of the corrupt modus operandi of Bosasa and its directors,” said Zondo.

Additional reporting by Earl Coetzee, Vhahangwele Nemakonde, and Cheryl Kahla.

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