Former ANC member of Parliament Vincent Smith.
Image: File Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency/ANA
After the sentencing of Vincent Smith, the NPA is intensifying its probe into the Bosasa corruption scandal, hinting at a broader crackdown on political corruption in South Africa.
This was after the NPA had been called to pursue others implicated in the scandal and state capture, following Smith’s sentencing on Thursday.
Civil organisations such as the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said the sentencing should pave the way for further investigations and prosecutions of those implicated in state capture.
Smith has been sentenced to seven years behind bars after reaching a plea and sentence agreement with the state.
He pleaded guilty to charges that include contravening Section 7 of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act 12 of 2004, fraud, money laundering and the Contravention of the Tax Act. The conviction relates to the corruption charges in his personal capacity, as well as his capacity as sole director and shareholder of Euroblitz 48, which he failed to disclose to Parliament.
Smith also received gratification from Bosasa, pursuant to the corrupt activities with which he, his company, Euroblitz 48 and former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi were charged.
The state said Smith failed to disclose the income of Euroblitz between March 2009 and July 2018, totalling approximately R28 million.
The former chair of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, Smith, oversaw the same department that awarded Bosasa company contracts worth billions of rands.
His sentencing comes some six years after the Zondo Commission heard testimony from Agrizzi, who alleged that Smith had received gratification worth approximately R800,000.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said that while Smith’s conviction is a significant step towards accountability, the work of dismantling state capture and corruption remains incomplete.
“There remain serious allegations against other senior politicians and officials implicated in the Bosasa scandal. All of those recommended by the Zondo Commission for further investigation must be probed. Smith alone cannot be the ‘fall guy’, while others are simply let off the hook,” said the Foundations executive director, Neeshan Balton.
Balton said the Bosasa scandal reflects the abandonment of principles, including integrity, equality and servant leadership, by those entrusted with public power.
He said this is not just a legal matter, but represents the devastating outcome of the abuse of public office, calling on the NPA and the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) to accelerate all outstanding state capture investigations and prosecutions.
Asked if more investigations and prosecutions are expected, NPA’s communication officer, Isaac Dludlu, said the prosecuting authority is looking at other dockets related to Bosasa.
“The NPA deals with dockets that are sent to us after investigations by IDAC, Hawks, or police, for us to decide on whether to prosecute or not. This is based on the strength of the evidence provided. We are looking at other dockets related to Bosasa.
The Bosasa scandal was a massive corruption case involving R12 billion, a two-decade scheme where the company paid bribes to high-ranking officials to secure government contracts.
The company manipulated procurement processes, primarily within the Department of Correctional Services, from 2000 to 2016.
Former Deputy Minister of Defence, Thabang Makwetla, was charged with corruption and fraud for allegedly receiving a R350,000 Bosasa-funded security upgrade at his residence.
The Zondo Commission recommended that the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, be investigated for corruption after it was found that he received free security upgrades to his private properties. In October 2025, his legal bid to set aside these findings was dismissed by the Gauteng High Court.
ANC MP, Cedric Frolick, is alleged to have received monthly payments for facilitating contact between Bosasa and Smith. Although the Zondo Commission recommended an investigation, Parliament's Ethics Committee cleared him in 2023.
The son of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Andile Ramaphosa, was also allegedly implicated in a R500,000 payment made to his company by Bosasa.
Governance expert and political analyst Sandile Swana said although Smith’s sentencing is a step in the right direction, there are more than 200 cases that still need to be prosecuted.
“We would expect that over the next 24 months, some of the cases will be accelerated by the NPA. Advocate Andy Mothibi, who is the head of the NPA, has the credentials and experience to speed up the prosecution of those who are still outstanding, and it is important that those implicated must be prosecuted on an urgent basis,” he said.
Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said Smith was not alone in his dealings with Bosasa and that his conviction is expected to force the NPA to revisit the recommendations made by the former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo regarding the “so-called” state capture. “Any failure by the NPA to charge those implicated in the Zondo Commission would give credence to the notion that when it comes to the practice of the law, some are more equal than others,” he said.