Gavin Watson

Watson and his brothers grew up on a farm near Somerset East, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa where his father was a lay preacher who preached racial equality during apartheid.{{Cite web|url=http://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/sport/the-struggle-continues-for-watson-sons-572847|title=The struggle continues for Watson sons|last=Forde|first=Fiona|date=19 May 2007|work=iol.co.za|accessdate=2017-04-02|quote=}} Noted South African rugby player Cheeky Watson is Gavin's younger brother.{{Cite web|url=https://www.biznews.com/undictated/2019/08/26/bosasa-valence-watson-brother-gavin|title=Bosasa mystery deepens. Valence Watson: "My (now late) brother Gavin is innocent"|date=2019-08-26|website=BizNews.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-08-26}} The Watson family was known for defying apartheid laws on racial segregation by playing in mixed race rugby games in the 1970s.{{Cite web|url=https://city-press.news24.com/News/bosasa-ceo-gavin-and-his-brothers-who-are-the-watsons-20190121|title=Bosasa CEO Gavin and his brothers – who are the Watsons?|last=Xabanisa|first=Simnikiwe|date=2019-01-21|website=CityPress|language=en|access-date=2019-08-26}} During this time Watson befriended and made many connections with African National Congress (ANC) members who would go on to serve in the post-apartheid government of South Africa.{{Cite web|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2009-11-20-prisons-graft-bosasas-empire-of-influence/|title=Prisons graft: Bosasa's empire of influence|last=Underhill|first=Adriaan Basson, Yolandi Groenewald, Glynnis|website=The M&G Online|date=20 November 2009 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-26}}

{{main|Bosasa}}

In the mid-1990s following the end of apartheid, Watson's company Bosasa began providing services to state prisons.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bosasaydc.com/content/4360/4349/our-history |title=BOSASAYDC: Our History |website=www.bosasaydc.com |access-date=2019-02-01 |archive-date=19 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019093951/http://www.bosasaydc.com/content/4360/4349/our-history |url-status=dead }} It received its first large contract from government in 2004 when the Department of Correctional Services awarded it a contract to provide catering services to the prison system.{{Cite web |url=https://www.news24.com/Archives/City-Press/Bosasa-just-keeps-on-scoring-20150430 |title=Bosasa just keeps on scoring |date=2011-03-20 |website=News24 |language=en |access-date=2019-02-01}} The company is estimated to have received government tenders to the value of R12 billion (US$918.8 million) between 2003 and 2018.{{Cite web |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2019-02-01-00-the-bosasa-tally-r12-billion/ |title=The Bosasa tally: R12-billion |last=Sarah Smit, Thanduxolo Jika, Sabelo Skiti |date=2019-02-01 |website=The M&G Online |language=en |access-date=2019-02-01}}

Bosasa was described as an ally of the ANC and donated about R3,000,000 to the ANC's 2014 election campaign.[https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/exclusive-the-ancs-r3m-thank-you-letter-to-bosasa-20190822 The ANC's R3m thank you letter to Bosasa]. Retrieved on 26 August 2019. Watson also made a personal donation of about R500,000 to Cyril Ramaphosa's successful campaign to become president of the ANC.Hunter, Qaanitah. [https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2019-02-03-cyril-ramaphosa-gives-back-gavin-watsons-r500000/ Cyril Ramaphosa 'gives back' Gavin Watson's R500,000], Sunday Times, 3 February 2019. Retrieved on 26 August 2019.

In January 2019, former Bosasa Chief Operating Officer (COO), Angelo Agrizzi, while testifying at the State Capture Inquiry, implicated Watson and many senior government officials in serious allegations of corruption and money laundering.

Watson died in a car accident early on 26 August 2019 when the company Toyota Corolla he was driving struck a pillar on an approach road leading to O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.{{cite news |title=Gavin Watson killed in car crash |url=https://www.enca.com/news/gavin-watson-killed-car-crash |accessdate=26 August 2019 |newspaper=eNCA |date=26 August 2019 |archive-date=4 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904021119/https://www.enca.com/news/gavin-watson-killed-car-crash |url-status=dead }} His BMW X5 was in for mechanical repairs at the time.[https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/news-update/2171304/toyota-corolla-in-which-gavin-watson-died-was-not-his-normal-car/ Toyota Corolla in which Gavin Watson died was not his ‘normal car’]. The Citizen, 26 August 2019. Retrieved on 26 August 2019.Hosken, Graeme. [https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-08-26-gavin-watsons-bmw-was-in-for-mechanical-repairs/ Gavin Watson's BMW was in for mechanical repairs: company car explained], TimesLIVE, 26 August 2019. Retrieved on 26 August 2019.

Bosasa employee and former Chief Operating Officer, Angelo Agrizzi, said that he was saddened to hear about Watson's death.Lindeque, Mia, Kalenga, Aurelie. [https://ewn.co.za/2019/08/26/angelo-agrizzi-saddened-by-bosasa-ceo-gavin-watson-s-death Agrizzi 'saddened' by Watson's death], Eyewitness News, 26 August 2019. Retrieved on 26 August 2019. Agrizzi hinted at the possibility that Watson wanted to leave South Africa.[https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/angelo-agrizzi-on-gavin-watson-flee-south-africa-theory/ Angelo Agrizzi hints that Gavin Watson “was trying to flee South Africa”], The South African, 26 August 2019. Retrieved on 26 August 2019. The governing African National Congress described him as an "anti-apartheid activist", while the official opposition Democratic Alliance called for a transparent investigation into his death.[https://ewn.co.za/2019/08/26/da-wants-transparent-investigation-into-gavin-watson-car-accident DA wants 'transparent investigation' into Watson's car accident]. Retrieved on 26 August 2019.[https://ewn.co.za/2019/08/26/anc-hails-gavin-watson-as-an-anti-apartheid-activist ANC hails Gavin Watson as an 'anti-apartheid activist']. Retrieved on 26 August 2019. The police have opened a culpable homicide case.[https://ewn.co.za/2019/08/26/police-open-culpable-homicide-case-after-gavin-watson-s-death Culpable homicide probe into Gavin Watson's death]. Retrieved on 26 August 2019. A memorial service for Watson was held on 30 August 2019 in Roodepoort, Gauteng.[https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/he-had-a-big-heart-family-pays-homage-to-gavin-watson-at-memorial-31552092 'He had a big heart': Family pays homage to Gavin Watson at memorial], IOL, 30 August 2019. Retrieved on 30 August 2019. Watson's funeral service was held on 3 September 2019 at the Feather Market Hall in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. Former President Jacob Zuma delivered the eulogy and hinted at the possibility of an assassination plot.{{cite news |last1=Sain |first1=Raahil |title=Jacob Zuma says Gavin Watson's death is mysterious |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/jacob-zuma-says-gavin-watsons-death-is-mysterious-31784285 |accessdate=4 September 2019 |newspaper=IOL |date=3 September 2019 |location=Port Elizabeth}}

A private pathology report, requested by the family, later found that Gavin Watson had been deceased at the time of the accident.{{Cite web|url=https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/investigation/2179378/gavin-watson-was-already-dead-before-his-crash-private-pathologist-finds/|title=Gavin Watson was already dead before his crash, private pathologist finds|last=Cilliers|first=Charles|date=15 September 2019|website=citizen.co.za|access-date=2019-09-16}} Speculation of foul play remains, though current reports do not rule out natural causes. Facts that arose as a result continue to raise speculation as to the nature of and circumstances surrounding his death.{{Cite web |last=Cowan |first=Kyle |title=Gavin Watson's death: 7 key unanswered questions |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/gavin-watsons-death-7-key-unanswered-questions-20190918 |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Jacob Zuma}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Gavin}}

Category:1948 births

Category:2019 deaths

Category:People from Somerset East

Category:White South African people

Category:South African businesspeople

Category:South African billionaires

Category:Road incident deaths in South Africa