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President Cyril Ramaphosa has admitted interacting with the Gupta brothers and Bosasa leadership, but denying any individual meetings with them.
In a sworn affidavit to the Zondo commission – which is looking into claims of “state capture” – Ramaphosa said that although they met, nothing of any consequence was discussed.
The president said his affidavit, which was submitted to the commission on Friday, was a response to a request by the commission for him and fellow Cabinet members to state whether they had any meetings or dealing with the Guptas and Bosasa.
“I thought that, as president, he should be the first to give the commission his own affidavit ... The president accepted that this was necessary … He also undertook to encourage Cabinet ministers that when they are approached by the commission in this regard, they should cooperate,” said Deputy Judge President Raymond Zondo, who is chairing the commission of inquiry into state capture, on Friday.
Ramaphosa informed Zondo that he would be willing to appear before the commission, and gave his permission for the affidavit to be released to the media.
Ramaphosa told the state capture enquiry that he had never engaged with the Gupta brothers beyond common courtesies. His recollection included an ANC meeting with the Guptas where matters of banks were discussed.
The Zondo Commission has had the Guptas as the main subject of conversation in the past few months.
The president mentioned in the affidavit that he had been “advised” that Gavin Watson and Bosasa director Trevor Mathenjwa attended the wedding of his son Andile last year in Uganda, but he had no recollection of any interaction with them at the event.
“More than 1000 people attended this wedding including between 150 and 200 guests who flew from South Africa for that occasion, I have no recollection of any interaction with them,” he said.
The president said in the affidavit that although he took a tour of the Bosasa head office where volunteers were assisting the ANC, he could not always be sure of the identities of the people who worked for Bosasa. Therefore he had no knowledge at the time of the source of funding of the centre came from because “these matters were for the elections team”.
“I have not to my knowledge had any interactions or meetings with any of its directors or former directors of subsidiaries or employer or former employers. I cannot be sure of the identities of all persons that have ever worked for Bosasa.”
Ramaphosa has taken on review a recent finding by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane that he deliberately misled Parliament about a Bosasa donation to his campaign funds.
Ramaphosa said he had no recollection of meeting Angelo Agrizzi but had been told that Agrizzi worked for a catering subsidiary of the Malope Group where he had previously been chairperson.
Recalling an ANC meeting with one of the Gupta brothers, Ramaphosa said: “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.
