‘The rot has set in’

PARLY: CHAIR WARNS OF POSSIBLE LOTTERY COMMISSION COLLAPSE

- Vhahangwele Nemakonde

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) may collapse because corruption involving its officials, non-profit organisations and some audit firms, the portfolio committee on trade, industry and competition warned this week.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), South African Police Service (Saps), Hawks and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) briefed the committee on the investigations and prosecutions in relation to the alleged corruption and maladministration at the NLC on Thursday.

In November 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation authorising the SIU to investigate the NLC and recover any losses.

The SIU said the 40 non-profit organisations (NPOs) and non-profit companies (NPCs) it investigated allegedly received help from government officials, accounting firms and auditors to qualify for National Lotteries Commission (NLC) grants.

The grants, earmarked to improve the lives of poor South Africans, were not used for their intended purposes.