EFF rejects the appointment of Barney Pityana as Chairperson of the Lotteries Commission
12 July 2022
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rejects with contempt, the appointment of the directionless and elderly Barney Pityana as the Chairperson of the Lotteries Commission.
The appointment of Pityana is premeditated corruption by Ebrahim Patel, who wants his friends and business associates to win a manipulated lottery license that is due for renewal in July 2023.
Patel had intended to by-pass the legislated process to impose a Chairperson of the National Lotteries Commission on the National Assembly, undermining legislated processes.
The EFF intervened and wrote to the former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thandi Modise, in November 2020 to expose the fraudulent and illegal process. Patel had appointed a group of his friends, paraded as an "independent shortlisting panel" that had no legal standing.
The EFF was vindicated when the legal advice, which was provided by the Parliamentary Legal Services, confirmed what we highlighted in the letter. As a result, the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry was forced to undertake a transparent process despite the resistance and obstruction of the process by ANC members in the committee.
Throughout the interview process, ANC members in the committee made it obvious that their mandate was to abuse their majority and impose preferred candidates, disregarding an important combination of age, skill set, experience, and object views of opposition party members in the committee.
The ANC members insisted on Pityana and Frank Chikane, both of whom will be willing to undermine and subvert the process as Patel and his handlers will be able to micromanage and manipulate.
It is an objective fact that Pityana was the least preferred candidate among the parliamentary recommendations for the position. It is an irrational appointment, which falls in line with a tendency to ignore recommendations by democratically and constitutionally established institutions in South Africa, in favour of a factional agenda of capture.
The committee had made recommendations for the appointment of the chairperson of the National Lotteries Commission in March 2021. However, the ANC stalled the appointment until they could find a way to smuggle Chikane's name into the report in an unprocedural way.
It was only after Pityana and Chikane's names were included in the report in an unprocedural manner that the report recommending candidates for the appointment of the Chairperson of the National Lotteries Commission was adopted.
The EFF appeals to Pityana's conscience, if there is anything left of it, to refuse to be used in an attempt to further the capture and destruction of institutions to serve a factional agenda.
Barney Pityana is a 76-year old veteran who has made his contribution in society, and for him to take the position undermines his struggle credentials and positions him as an obstacle to youth development in a country plagued by youth unemployment.
We appeal to Pityana not to be part and parcel of the hatred of youth which characterises the ruling elite in South Africa. As an elder, Barney Pityana must have a sense of self-introspection, and not allow his legacy to be tainted by what seems to be a selfish attempt at wealth accumulation and greed, at the expense of promoting young leadership within critical spheres of society.
The EFF will remain vigilant and expose any mediated corruption driven by greed in the issuing of lottery licenses. No one will be issued a license in a corrupt and unprocedural manner.
Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 12 July 2022
