National Lotteries Commission ropes in banks to help fight corruption
|Published
The National Lotteries Commission says it has roped in the assistance of the country's banking sector to help it rid itself of years of corruption. Photo: Raymond Joseph/GroundUp
Johannesburg - The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) says it has roped in the assistance of the country's banking sector to help it rid itself of years of corruption.
This comes after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) announced that it had uncovered dodgy grant payments of more than R1.4 billion. The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) had obtained a preservation order against properties worth more R25 million. Some of these include nine luxury homes said to be the proceeds of illegal activities at the commission.
Speaking to the SABC, lottery commission chairperson Professor Barney Pityana said he hoped the work of the new board would help the commission turn things around.
"There has been a culture in the commission of solidarity with wrongdoing. And there’s also been a culture where the control mechanisms were not working, which is why so much has happened. So, we’re now trying to tighten up the control mechanisms and make sure they happen. We’re dealing with those within the commission, on the executives in particular, who have been found to have been responsible for the misdoings in the commission," he said.
Pityana said that since the board began its work in March this year, there had been a marked improvement in curbing corruption at the NLC.
This past week, actress Terry Pheto was among those accused of illegally benefiting from the commission. But the “Tsotsi” actress denied the allegations, saying she would co-operate with the investigation.
The actress said she was taken aback to find herself in the middle of the scandal.
"I am dismayed to discover that I am the subject of a Special Investigative Unit (SIU) probe into allegations of fraud relating to funding by the National Lotteries Commission. I deny any involvement in the alleged scheme that has been reported on. I also had no prior knowledge of an application to obtain a preservation order. I hold the law in high regard and will co-operate fully with this investigation in an open and transparent manner," she said.
Two months ago, NLC former chief financial officer Philemon Letwaba was fingered in a slew of corrupt transactions within the commission. The commission's chief executive, Lesley Ramulifho, is also among those facing fraud and corruption charges.
The AFU secured a preservation order in the Pretoria High Court on Friday, against various properties said to be the proceeds of illegal activities at the commission.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the court had given them 90 days to finalise its investigation against those implicated in corruption at the commission.
"Any of the individuals cannot defend this matter and, once they have defended the matter, then the judge will decide whether to give a final order. And, once they give the final forfeiture order, the properties will then be forfeited to the state, then they will be sold to recover the money that needs to go back to the Lottery Commission," Kganyago said.
The Star