LIVE FEED: State capture inquiry - March 13, 2020

Former chief operating officer of Bosasa Angelo Agrizzi. Picture: Itumeleng English/ African News Agency(ANA)

Former chief operating officer of Bosasa Angelo Agrizzi. Picture: Itumeleng English/ African News Agency(ANA)

Published Mar 13, 2020

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Johannesburg - Former Prasa board chairperson Popo Molefe and former Bosasa CEO Angelo Agrizzi are set to testify at the Zondo commission on Friday.

Molefe will continue his testimony on Prasa-related matters and Agrizzi is expected to give testimony on facilities management company Bosasa.

Molefe told the inquiry on Thursday that politically connected businessman Roy Moodley had tried to capture him several times. The commission had previously heard that Moodley had an unusually close relationship with Prasa management. 

Moodley has been linked to former president Jacob Zuma. He allegedly paid the former president a monthly salary. The Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is investigating this claim. 

Molefe took the stand and explained when his then board took over in August 2014 there seemed to be a tussle for power with Montana. 

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Molefe said the first sign of this tension was when the board requested to be appraised with contracts that the organisation had signed just to familiarise themselves with the business. Molefe said Montana promised to supply the board with all the contracts signed, but he never did. The board was particularly interested in a large contract worth R51 billion to procure new trains. 

Montana was never forthcoming with the documents so the board decided to approach the legal firm which had assisted in drawing up the contract. Molefe said Montana was angry that the board had approached the legal firm to get hold of the tender contract. 

"It was already clear to us at the time that he (Montana) was not keen on sharing information with the board at the time. Increasing the board was getting an indication that the CEO did not consider himself fully accountable to the board. He (Montana) would later raise the issue that he was not consulted when the new board was appointed."

Last year Agrizzi had told the commission that Bosasa bribed officials and politicians for every tender that it was awarded.

He said as far as he can remember, he started being aware of bribery in 2004 or 2005 and this went on until he left the company in 2016. 

Agrizzi admitted when he first appeared at the inquiry and through his evidence that he was intricately involved in the corruption untaken by the facilities management company. 

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