MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / News / Lotteries Commission Corruption Cover-up

Lotteries Commission Corruption Cover-up

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will interrogate law enforcement agencies and the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) board in the upcoming Trade, Industry and Competition Portfolio Committee meeting, scheduled for November 5th.

We will ensure that the full extent of corruption at the NLC is uncovered. If it becomes evident that whistleblowers have faced a miscarriage of justice, the DA will be exploring ways in which Mr Makate and other whistleblowers are compensated if their allegations are found to be true.

This comes after it was revealed that the NLC spent close to R70 million on legal fees, defending multiple staff disciplinary matters between 2019 and 2023, and, under the current board, litigating against staff members who are accused of abusing their positions and misdirecting lottery funds.

The DA recently uncovered this information through a written reply from the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, Mr. Parks Tau. The report documented 50 cases where the NLC disputed Labour Court rulings, defended staff dismissals or litigated against staff in disciplinary matters.

One case alone, involving whistleblower Mr. Makatse, cost over R8.8 million. Mr. Makatse, a former NLC employee, was suspended and dismissed after refusing to sign off on a multimillion-rand Lottery grant for a for-profit music festival. The suspension and dismissal occurred shortly before the grant was paid, despite Makatse raising concerns about corrupt dealings within the NLC. His appeals for justice were dismissed, leaving him destitute. In 2023, Makatse received international recognition as a whistleblower, being one of five South Africans awarded the Blueprint for Free Speech award.

The DA will hold the current NLC board and law enforcement agencies accountable during the Committee meeting, ensuring they act on the ongoing criminal investigations by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) into the R1.4 billion of illegally awarded grant money. Should any whistleblowers have been denied justice, the DA is prepared to take legal steps to correct this injustice and ensure full accountability and appropriate compensation.

Regards

Toby Chance MP
DA Spokesperson on Trade, Industry and Competition

Category: Tag: ,

If you feel strongly about this article then feel free to send MyZA a ‘Letter to the Editor’ using the submission form below:

Letter to the Editor

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
If this is in response to an article please include that article title here or as the lead in for the first paragraph of your Letter below.

Separate tags with commas

Localise your letter by naming the city your words are about. Add relevant words describing your subject. Single comma separated words of no more than 5
Your Name(Required)
Your Name will be linked to the website below.
Your personal, business or social media web site
Choose NO to not set up a user account on MyZA. User Accounts will allow you to submit letters under your own Author Name

3 Latest Letters to the Editor:

  • Re: R8.5 Million Lotto Winner Claims Prize in Gqeberha

    Dear Editor This is indeed an exciting story for the community. Congratulations to the winner and may this bring positive change to Nomathamsanqa. As someone from KwaMashu, I understand the impact such winnings can have on township communities. Wishing the grandfather all the best. Regards Themba Zulu In Response to/From: R8.5 Million Lotto Winner Claims…

  • Re: Minister Tolashe and Postbank Black Cards

    Dear Editor I appreciate the Minister’s assurance regarding the smooth transition to Postbank Black Cards for grant beneficiaries. As a concerned citizen, I hope the government will ensure that all beneficiaries, especially elderly and vulnerable populations in areas like Soweto, receive adequate assistance during this transition period. The expansion of card replacement locations to include…

  • Lotto Winner Story

    Dear Editor This is indeed an exciting story for the community. Congratulations to the winner and may this bring positive change to Nomathamsanqa. Regards Willem Pieterse In Response to/From: R8.5 Million Lotto Winner Claims Prize in Gqeberha

Reader Interactions

Comments