Thu, 21 May 2026

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa

S/African President Ramaphosa reacts as allegations of state capture unfold
 
By:
Sat, 27 Jul 2019   ||   South Africa,
 

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -                                 President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, has denied doing associating with the Guptas and Bosasa boss Gavin Watson as allegations of state capture unfold at the commission of inquiry into state capture, CEOAfrica gathered siting the country’s IOL.

Recalled on Friday the President presented an affidavit to the country’s commission of inquiry into state capture, explaining whether he has had relations with the Guptas or Bosasa.

However, in the detailed affidavit given to Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who chairs the commission, Ramaphosa admitted meeting the Guptas several times.

He remembered one meeting where one of the brothers was present to discuss the banks.

This was at the time the four major banks had closed the accounts of the Guptas.

“One of them arrived for the meeting and I think it was Tony Gupta. At this meeting held during April 2016, various issues were discussed including the closure of the bank accounts of one of their businesses, Oakbay,” stated Ramaphosa in the affidavit.

According to the local media, the Cabinet had weighed in on the matter, but it later retracted a statement issued by then-minister of mineral resources Mosebenzi Zwane.

The matter of the banks has been discussed at the commission after former Cabinet ministers and senior executives of the banks testified at the commission.

Ramaphosa also said he has no recollection of meeting either Watson or former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi.

Ramaphosa said in his former company, Molope Group, he may have interacted with Bosasa officials at the time as his company was in direct competition with Bosasa. But he said he did not recall meeting Agrizzi, who had been working for Molope’s subsidiary at the time.

Report has it that Agrizzi blew the whistle on Bosasa and alleged the facilities management company had bribed senior ruling ANC and government officials including ministers over a period.

Ramaphosa said he was also told that Watson and another Bosasa official had attended the wedding of his son, Andile, in Uganda.

The president said when he met with of the Gupta brothers in 2016 to discuss the matter of the banks, he raised the issue of Waterkloof airbase in Pretoria three years before.

The landing of the Gupta jet at the airbase led to a public outcry and call for action on those responsible.

During the testimony of South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands Bruce Koloane to the commission recently, he admitted to name dropping.

Koloane was moved from his position of chief state protocol to ambassador a few years ago after the Waterkloof airbase fiasco.

Zondo has also heard evidence of how officials in the military were pressured to allow the Guptas to land at the airbase.

Ramaphosa had urged Zondo to release his affidavit in public in order to stop any speculation of what his evidence was.

The deputy chief justice also wants other former ministers and senior figures in the ANC to come clean on what they know happened during state capture.

The Guptas have been fingered in wrongdoing over a prolonged period. The family left the country early last year.

The Bosasa is a South African company specializing in providing services to government, most notably prison services. It is controversial for its involvement in corruption allegations exposed during the Zondo Commission of Inquiry.

 

 

 

Tag(s):
 
 
Back to News