Book Extract: ‘I sold my company to the ANC’

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Taking centre stage at the Zondo commission, the wheelings and dealings of late Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson gripped the nation. In this extract from Adriaan Basson’s new book, Fanie van Zijl recalls how his business landed in the hands of Watson

A Springbok middle-distance runner, he was “almost unbeatable” and an “amazing strategist” in the 1 000m and 1 500m races.

Van Zijl contracted a friend, Paulus Vorster, better known as Oom Vossie, who owned a dry-cleaning business in Randfontein, to do the laundry at the hostels. Van Zijl had another idea – to establish youth centres for awaiting-trial juveniles, who at the time were kept with adults in the same prison. As a result, Meritum youth hostel was launched in 1995 as a project with the department of social development; and a year later Lindela opened its doors as the country’s first repatriation centre where undocumented migrants awaited determination of their legal status in the country.

At the time Smith, a co-owner of Meritum, was a senior member of the SBDC, and Eastern Cape businessman Danny Mansell headed up the provincial branch of the corporation. Having met Smith during his time at the SBDC, Mansell, Watson and Port Elizabeth accountant Tony Perry put together a bid to buy Meritum.

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AdriaanBasson Gavin Watson may not even be cold yet in his grave yet you're already using his name to line your pockets.!? Hopefully it fails like that Ace Magashule book your friend wrote.

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