‘Bosasa paid for Mokonyane’s do’

Owner of Krugersdorp-based guest house says he was approached by Agrizzi to host the birthday party

FORMER Cabinet minister Nomvula Mokonyane’s evidence has been brought into question after witnesses said she allegedly benefited from Bosasa.

This followed the evidence of the owner of a guest house on the West Rand who implicated Mokonyane in the Zondo Commission of Inquiry yesterday.

The evidence related to the birthday bash that Mokonyane had a few years ago.

Frederick Hendrick Coetzee, the owner of Krugersdorp-based Victorian Guest House, told the inquiry that his venue hosted a 40th birthday celebration for Mokonyane in 2003 which was paid for by Bosasa.

Coetzee said he was approached by former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi to host a birthday party in June 2003. He said he was told that the event was for Mokonyane and that Bosasa would pay for the party.

Coetzee provided the commission with invoices which showed that he invoiced Bosasa and Agrizzi to the tune of R41 000.

“I got a call from Agrizzi asking for a meeting and they came to the guest house asking to host a function and that Bosasa would pay for the whole event. Initially, it was for 80 people, which then went up to 120. And when the guests started arriving it grew to 174,” Coetzee told the inquiry.

Coetzee testified that the amount of alcohol that was delivered was substantial and he estimated that it could have been worth between R30 000 and R40 000.

“When it was delivered it was a huge size. It was delivered at one of my garages and I had to remove a car. It was quite a substantial amount. It was brandy such as KWV and Johnny Walker. It was an upper range of each brand,” Coetzee said.

He said he remembers late former Bosasa chief executive Gavin Watson and Agrizzi were guests at the party and that he was personally introduced to Mokonyane.

“I was personally introduced to her. I was there up until the last guest left,” he said.

Another witness who took the stand was former Bosasa employee Bongiwe Dube. She was in charge of catering at the company.

Dube recalled an incident in December 2017 when she received a call from a butchery service provider who told her that a large delivery of meat was ready for delivery, and she was required to provide a delivery address.

Dube said she found the call strange because at the time Bosasa’s main office was closed for the Christmas break. She then called her boss, Catherine Mathabata, who confirmed that she does not need to worry because she would arrange for the delivery and that it was intended for Mokonyane.

Dube said she was unaware whether the meat was delivered to Mokonyane, but all she did was confirm the details to Mathabatha, who was her senior.

“The Food Boys (butchery company) called me and they wanted to know since the head office was closed for the Christmas break and they said there is a big order done by Catherine Mathabatha. They asked where it was going to and I asked to confirm (with Mathabatha) and that is when I was told (by Catherine) that I should not worry it is for Mokonyane,” Dube said.

Agrizzi appeared before the commission last year and alleged that because Mokonyane was seen as a valuable political figure who wielded power in the ANC, she was rewarded with bribes by Watson.

Mokonyane last month denied the allegations and said Bosasa never hosted a birthday party for her.

Agrizzi testified that it was a 50th birthday celebration while Coetzee said it was a 40th birthday celebration.

The inquiry resumes today.