The Special Tribunal has dismissed, with costs, former National Lotteries Commission (NLC) Chief Risk Officer Marubini Ramatsekisa’s application to overturn a ruling interdicting the payout of his R1.7 million pension fund benefit.
The interdict was obtained by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in December 2023, following an investigation into Ramatsekisa’s alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme that cost the NLC approximately R4 million.
“The SIU’s investigation into NLC’s affairs found that Ramatsekisa was a key player and willing facilitator of an elaborate scheme to defraud the commission through proactive funding.
“The SIU uncovered evidence linking Ramatsekisa to losses of approximately R4 million suffered by the NLC. The SIU intends to institute civil proceedings against Ramatsekisa to recover damages suffered by NLC because of his conduct,” the SIU said in a statement.
Underhanded dealings
According to the corruption busting unit, in February 2019, Ramatsekisa prepared a proposal for funding and “recommended that the acting chief operating officer approve pro-active funding of approximately R4 million to conduct a study that will assist in developing the Khoi-San language”.
“Three weeks later, three people acquired and became directors of a dormant shelf company named Zibsicraft NPC. From the documents in the SIU’s possession, Zibsicraft NPC then applied to the NLC for grant funding.
“The application was not stamped, so the client liaison officer never processed it. The application was dated 25 March 2019, ten days after they had acquired the company.
“The application was accompanied by financial statements prepared for the periods ending 28 February 2018 and 28 February 2019. However, the NPO only opened a bank account on 19 March 2019, six days before it applied for funding,” the SIU said.
More than half of the grant money was allegedly siphoned off for the benefit of then NLC Board Chairperson, Alfred Nevhutanda.
“The SIU found that of the R4 million, R2.2 million allegedly went towards purchasing property for a church named the Higher Grace Christ Redeemer Church. The former NLC Board Chairperson, Alfred Nevhutanda, and his wife, Mrs Tshilidzi Rachel Nevhutanda, represented the church in the offer to purchase it.
“[Ramatsekisa] resigned from the NLC after the lottery commission instituted disciplinary proceedings against him to allegedly avoid accountability. Immediately after he resigned, Ramatsekisa wrote to his pension fund administrator that he intended to withdraw his pension benefits, prompting the SIU to seek an interdict swiftly,” the SIU explained. – SAnews.gov.za
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