DA commends the SIU for holding the NLC to account

17 February 2022

The DA commends the Special Investigative Unit’s (SIU) work in holding the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) to account for the rampant looting that has taken place at the organisation over the last several years.

This comes after today’s sitting of the Special Tribunal ordered that four luxury vehicles and residential property in Zwartkop are placed under curatorship pending a review application for the final forfeiture.

These assets are linked a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) Inqaba Yokulinda, which received funding from the NLC to the tune of R19.2 million between February 2018 and September 2019 for the construction of athletic tracks in North West and Mpumalanga.

According to the SIU there is prima facie evidence of “collusion between employees of the NLC & Members of Inqaba Yokulinda, including unconnected third parties who partook in the scheme to obtain R19.2 million in funding from the NLC for their own personal use”.

Furthermore, they discovered that only R4.2 million of the R19.2 million was used for its intended purpose.

There is no doubt that this particular order is merely the tip of the iceberg and that in the coming weeks we will see the complete unravelling of the criminal syndicate that has plundered the NLC over several years.

It is now up to the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure that these matters are prosecuted and that those who are guilty of stealing money meant for the most vulnerable in society are put behind bars.

Issued by Mat Cuthbert, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, 17 February 2022