Former Chief Operations Officer of Bosasa Angelo Agrizzi has confirmed that the facilities and management company made several payments to Parliamentary officials, including Vincent Smith.
Agrizzi is testifying before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture which is currently under way in Parktown, Johannesburg.
Agrizza says he and Bosasa Chief Executive Officer Gavin Watson met with some Parliamentarians who served on Parliament’s Correctional Services Portfolio Committee at a restaurant in Sandton.
This is where the negative publicity around Bosasa was discussed, agreed that they would work together to ensure that future tenders were granted in their favour.
Agrizzi says Smith was given payments on a number of occasions.
“At the meeting it became evident that those were all members of Parliament and they were part of the stranding committee at correctional services. Vincent Smith alluded to us in the meeting he spoke as if they had a working relationship going forward between Bosasa and portfolio committee. I was told by Watson at the meeting in front of them to make sure these amounts were paid for Vincent Smith was R45 000, Magagula R30 000, Ngwenya R20 000.”
Agrizzi has denied granting Smith a personal loan.
Last year reports emerged that Smith had allegedly received bribes from the controversial facility and management company. Smith denied the allegations saying Agrizzi had granted him a loan at a time when he needed to pay his daughter’s tuition fees at a British University.
Agrizzi says he had already left Bosasa when the amount was paid to Smith.
More officials implicated
Agrizzi has implicated officials who allegedly received monthly bribes from the facility and management company, for lucrative government tenders. He says officials in the Correctional Services Department initially received an R500 000 per month, and it was paid to Sesinyi Seopela who then transferred it to the officials.
“The initial amount was R500 000 a month. The amount was amended to R750 000 and this is when the Commissioner was appointed. At this stage, it was told to me by Tom Moyane. So I would have to increase the amount that was paid. ”
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