Lottery Fraud Case Against Jozi FM Board Chair Referred to Commercial Crimes Unit

The Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit is investigating Jozi FM board chairperson Rapitse Montsho in connection with millions missing from lottery grants. Illustration: Lisa Nelson

Fraud and theft charges against Jozi FM board chairperson Rapitse Montsho, involving almost R35-million in missing National Lottery Commission (NLC) grants, were provisionally withdrawn in court on Friday 27 March.

But Montsho, who is yet to plead, is not off the hook. His case has been referred to the Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit for further investigation, and it is also alleged that Montsho has breached his bail condition.

Montsho was arrested on 20 November 2025 and released four days later by the Orlando Magistrates’ Court on R10,000 bail due to his age and poor health. His arrest followed a complaint laid by Jozi FM management on 7 May at the Orlando police station.

The Soweto Media Resources Centre, a non-profit company operating Jozi FM, which received the lottery money, is also being probed by the Special Investigating Unit. The R34.8-million in grants was paid in tranches between August 2013 and October 2015.

Under his bail conditions, Montsho is not allowed to contact witnesses. But GroundUp has seen two affidavits filed with the court in which two witnesses, Penelope Nonthando Sithebe (PA to the CEO) and John Tshepo Makgopa (Jozi FM head of programmes), say they received emails on 6 January from Montsho via his attorney.

Attached to the emails were notices of a motion, which they claim was “intended to intimidate and harass them”. They say notices of motion should have been served on them by the Sheriff, not directly by email via Monthso’s attorney.

“I regard this conduct as a deliberate attempt to intimidate and harass me and silence or influence me as a witness in the pending criminal proceedings,” both witnesses state in their affidavits.

GroundUp was unable to obtain a copy of the notice of motion.

In a statement, Jozi FM CEO Mpho Mhlongo welcomed the decision of the court to “withdraw the matter and facilitate its escalation” to the National Prosecuting Authority and Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit.

“The referral to the NPA and SCCU allows for a thorough, impartial, and legally sound assessment of the issues at hand, consistent with the principles of accountability and the rule of law,” said Mhlongo.

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