I am racist but judge me on the facts, Agrizzi pleads
Updated | By Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile
Former Bosasa executive Angelo Agrizzi has pleaded with deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo to judge his testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture on the facts he provided and not on his racist comments.
Tuesday was his ninth and final day appearing before the commission.
The former chief operating officer, who exposed several politicians including former president Jacob Zuma and Minister of Environmental Affairs Nomvula Mokonyane for alleged corrupt relationships with the company was grilled over racist comments he made in a meeting with the Watson brothers in 2016.
Part of a sound clip of a meeting between Agrizzi and his former boss Gavin Watson's brothers was played on Tuesday.
In the clip, Agrizzi is heard using the K-word and stating that black people are lazy and all they do is loot and rape.
He went as far as stating that he wouldn't mind sexually assaulting all the k***, referring to Bosasa executives Joe Gumede and Papa Leshabane.
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The shocking clip is part of a 3-hour clip recorded by one of the Watson brothers while they were apparently at Agrizzi's house trying to give him a deal for his silence about Bosasa's corrupt dealings.
He told the commission after he resigned from the company, he had intentions to blow the whistle and after numerous threats on his life, allegedly by one of the company's executive directors Gumede, the Watson brothers decided to offer him another business deal.
Evidence leader Advocate Paul Pretorius: "You concede as we understand that your comments are nakedly racist and grossly offensive both to the individuals you refer to and the country at large?
Agrizzi: "I have admitted it chairperson and I am sorry, that is all I can say.”
Pretorius: "But there is a further question, it will in all probability be put to by various instances that this conversation, exhibiting racism in an extreme form, is part of the motivation in you giving evidence."
Agrizzi: My answer, chairperson is that work of the facts, please. Let other people see, let all the whistleblowers see that you work with the facts. I made a big mistake and shamed my family. My children couldn't even go to varsity, they had to work from home. I am paying the price for it don't you worry. I don't see how somebody can say that I am being racist when I am pointing out the facts that Mr. Watson corrupted people.”
He told the commission that he believed the Watson brothers made the recording to protect themselves somehow, and he was fed up that day and decided to have adrink.
Agrizzi also dropped another bombshell, alleging that Bosasa may have been involved in the murder of his former employee's brother.
"There was a gentleman who worked for me for about 15 years, he did all the special projects which he will give you information on. And that was CCTV cameras for ministers homes and things like that, he will testify to that. He had a brother who was jobless and had been living with him for 20 years. Bosasa approached his brother and asked him to write fake statements and to give them reports on what we were doing and paid R6 500 a month.
"He was then taken out of the house and moved into a lodge in Krugersdorp, paid for by the company. About three to four weeks later he was found dead in the hotel room and nobody bothered to investigate. We went to the police station, we opened dockets which were closed down and Bosasa offered to pay the cremation fees but he had to be cremated that Monday. They have all the proof, they will provide it."
Agrizzi said there are at least 50 to 60 people who could testify at the commission on Bosasa dealings.
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