The minister, the gifts, the Watsons and the wind farm | GroundUp_News
Mokonyane has a history of a direct relationship with the eldest of the four brothers, Gavin Watson, and also, at the very least, a tangential relationship with the “wind farm branch” of the family: two of the younger brothers, Ronald and Valence, and Valence’s son Jared.
The project proposal drew strong objections from, among others, the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency, the Eastern Cape’s Department of Economic Development, Environment & Tourism, BirdLife South Africa, Wilderness Foundation Africa, and the Elands River Conservancy. Mokonyane should be preparing to consider the appeals. But she may be facing a significant conflict of interest that should disqualify her from making any appeal decision.The origins of Bosasa supply chain management lie in a company initially called Emafini that later became Meritum Hostels in 1985. In 1996, it was awarded the contract to run the newly established Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp.
In particular, former chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi testified that Bosasa had given Mokonyaneover several years – including R50 000 a month, huge quantities of Christmas drinks and groceries, and catering for ANC rallies she was involved in. He claimed the gifts were intended to facilitate her help in protecting the company from law enforcement agencies.
Van Tonder referred to the 2007 investigation by the Special Investigations Unit into four tenders awarded to Bosasa by the Department of Correctional Services, worth more than R1.5bn. “When the SIU investigation commenced, a meeting was held with Ronnie Watson, Valence Watson, Gavin Watson, Angelo Agrizzi, where we were told that a ‘pact’ was formed and no-one must break the ‘pact’ or testify against one another.
Agrizzi told the commission that Mapisa-Nqakula would go hunting on Ronnie Watson’s game farm in the Eastern Cape “and we would transport the meat”.A picture posted to Facebook by Bosasa director Papa Leshabane of himself with former environmental affairs minister Nomvula Mokonyane during the ANC Gauteng manifesto launch at FNB Stadium on June 4, 2016. Also pictured are Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina and Thembinkosi 'TK' Nciza, Ekurhuleni ANC regional secretary in the black cap.
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