‘Bosasa bag man doled out millions’
The state capture inquiry heard on Tuesday how one man provided controversial prison facilities company Bosasa with millions in cash that was allegedly used to pay off politicians and government officials.
Gregory Lawrence‚ who has been involved in the export of food and alcohol to SADC countries for more than two decades‚ told how he got into business with Equal Trade’s Gregg Lacon-Allin in 2004.
Lawrence said at least 60% of the transactions they conducted with SADC traders were in cash‚ which accounted for more than R1m a consignment.
He said that in about 2012‚ Lacon-Allin told him that instead of depositing the cash in the bank‚ it could be handed over to Bosasa at its offices in Krugersdorp.
It was agreed that Bosasa would pay Lawrence back via EFT‚ saving him the costs of depositing millions at the banks.
Lawrence said Bosasa also paid Lacon-Allin a commission on the cash‚ but he did not know how much.
“I would notify either [Lacon-Allin] or the person I was dealing with from Bosasa that I got paid a certain amount.
“I would notify them that I had the cash available and would make arrangements for when and where I would meet them‚” Lawrence said. He did not know the name of the person from Bosasa he dealt with.
“The money would come in boxes or plastic bags,” he said.
Meanwhile, News24 editorin-chief Adriaan Basson told the inquiry he had received threatening phone calls from Bosasa staff‚ after publishing stories in 2009 on how Bosasa was unduly awarded correctional services tenders.
Basson worked at the Mail & Guardian at the time.
“I started receiving calls on my cellphone . . . always a person claiming they are a Bosasa employee‚ saying I am threatening their jobs, I must stop my reportage on Bosasa.
“Some of the callers accused me of racism‚ that I was only doing these articles because I’m white and I’m a racist.”
Around February 2009‚ Basson said he received a call from a person he later established to be Benedicta Dube.
“She proceeded to tell me how dangerous Bosasa was.
“My conclusion was this was a Bosasa operation to intimidate and threaten me.”