Gangster State

Magashule. Reddy had also attended the meeting. According to the
report, Biyela was trying to sell his company’s stake in a casino in
Welkom, but the Free State’s gambling authorities apparently blocked
the transaction. When the parties later met in Bloemfontein, the report
continued, Biyela was asked to pay a ‘bribe’ into the account of
Magashule’s long-time lawyer friend Kenosi Moroka, allegedly in
exchange for the then premier’s support for the casino deal. At the
time, Magashule, Moroka and Reddy all denied any impropriety.^3 ‘The
entire allegation was hogwash and part of the politics playing at that
time,’ an Edison spokesperson told me in December 2018. ‘Mr Reddy
was not “familiar” with Mr Magasule in 2009 .’
If Reddy and Magashule were not well acquainted back then, they
certainly became close later. When Reddy turned sixty in early 2013 ,
the Free State premier was among the politicians and other VIPs who
attended the businessman’s birthday bash in Durban.^4
And they clearly remained in touch after Reddy’s party. Few people
know this, but Reddy absorbed one of Magashule’s children into his
business empire, just as the Guptas had done with the former premier’s
eldest son, Tshepiso. Tshepiso’s younger brother, Thato, worked for
Edison Power, the crown jewel in Reddy’s business empire. I picked up
this titbit from sources who had once been close to Magashule’s family,
and it was confirmed by records I consulted. Edison confirmed that
Thato had worked there, but the company denied that this in any way
influenced its work in the public sector. ‘Thato Magashule was partly
involved in our Africa operation,’ the company informed me. ‘He was
not involved in any of our activities in SA due to our corporate
governance policy and to avoid any perception of perceived political
influence.’