Keeping corruption under wraps at Bosasa was allegedly a family affair for the Watsons, with Gavin Watson insisting his brothers enter “an unbreakable pact” – with any “problem child” to be dealt with by his high-ranking contacts in the government.
That extraordinary claim was made by former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi – who has spent nine days testifying at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture.
Offers of money, shareholdings and more power were also made to ensure Agrizzi – and his secrets – stayed within the company, he claimed.
Agrizzi, who has been spilling the beans on alleged widespread bribery and corruption – intended to further Bosasa’s business interests – also detailed how all three of Watson’s brothers allegedly approached him to stop him leaving the company and leaking damning secrets.
He claimed the pact was discussed at a meeting at the Michelangelo Hotel in Johannesburg in 2010, “at the pinnacle of the negative press articles directed at Bosasa”.
Agrizzi said it had been made clear by Watson at the meeting that there should be an unbreakable pact between the brothers, (former Bosasa chief financial officer) Andries van Tonder and Agrizzi.
“Gavin Watson reiterated that if, at any stage, anyone of us was to turn against the pact, including him, and spoke out on the goings-on at Bosasa, we would be dealt with and that severe consequences would ensue for ourselves and our families,” he said.
“We were specifically told that the ‘problem child’ would be dealt with by his high-ranking contacts in government.
“We had no reason to disbelieve him.”
Some six years later, Agrizzi said, he was again in close contact with one of Watson’s brothers, former Eastern Province Rugby Union president Cheeky Watson – who is facing fraud and money laundering charges in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court.
Agrizzi said Cheeky arrived at his home shortly after Agrizzi had told Gavin Watson he would be resigning.
He said the decision to quit had been taken due to his distaste for the way Watson “hurt families”, Watson’s “lies” and “the burden of the Watsons’ pact”. According to Agrizzi, Watson and (Bosasa lawyer) Brian Biebuyck had then started calling him incessantly.
He did not take their calls at first, but due to Watson bombarding him he eventually accepted a call from Biebuyck.
“Biebuyck pleaded with me to have a meeting with Gavin Watson and cautioned me, as he always did, that we had to stick together because we will all end up in jail,” Agrizzi said.
“I refused to meet Gavin Watson.”
The next day, according to Agrizzi, Cheeky arrived at his home with a plea – take the reins of Bosasa, as the wellbeing of the 4,500 employees was dependent on Agrizzi’s return.
Agrizzi said Cheeky told him Watson would remedy his ways and Agrizzi would receive a substantial retainer and a shareholding agreement. “I accepted the offer.” But, by November 2016, the relationship had soured again and Agrizzi said he had demanded that the shareholding due to him be registered.

“He [Watson] was not happy as he knew that as soon as my shareholding was implemented, I would have legal ground to challenge any decision of Gavin Watson.”
In December 2016, Agrizzi fell ill and went away to recuperate. When he returned, he said, he was told Watson wanted him to leave the company.
“I started receiving threats and messages from unknown people, saying that if I spoke out I would be dealt with.
“I reported the matter to the police,” he said.
Agrizzi said Biebuyck asked him, in November 2017, to resolve an issue with staff who wanted to blow the lid on Bosasa’s alleged corruption.
He obliged, he said, because he was told he would be in danger should he not help.
Some time later, not stipulated in the affidavit, Agrizzi decided to have a meeting with Willie Hofmeyr of the Special Investigating Unit. In August 2018, Agrizzi said, he was still receiving threats and it was then that he had decided to tell all about Bosasa.
“I prepared a press statement [saying he would be telling all] and, within minutes of its release, I was inundated by calls and messages from Gavin Watson, Brian Biebuyck and various other Watsons wanting to meet me urgently.
“I did not take any of their calls,” he said.
Agrizzi said Watson’s Port Elizabeth-based brothers, Ronnie and Valence, and two other people arrived at his home in August.
“They were extremely apologetic and stated that they knew nothing of what I told them. They left at 01.20 on August 23 2018,” he said.
He claimed the group returned the next day.
“They said that they had been mandated by Gavin Watson to make offers to me regarding the marketing of Royalston Wildlife Residential Estate [on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth] which they would fund. I refused this.”
On Tuesday, Agrizzi admitted that he was a racist and had used the offensive k-word repeatedly during the August 23 meeting.
He denied, however, that any of his evidence was motivated by racism.
The meeting took place after Agrizzi was allegedly offered R50m over five years‚ and R250‚000 a month‚ to keep quiet about the goings-on in the company.
Deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo said Agrizzi’s statements during the meeting were extremely offensive.
“What I have heard you say there is extremely offensive‚ totally unacceptable, but that does not mean that I will not examine your evidence,” Zondo said.
Contacted for comment, Gavin Watson and Valence declined to answer questions.
Asked if they had a telephone number for Cheeky, who has recently changed his number, both of them said they did not have it.
Ronnie Watson and Biebuyck could not be tracked down.
The commission will continue to hear testimony from Van Tonder on Wednesday. - Additional reporting TimesLIVE..