Cape Town - Newly-appointed National Lotteries Commission (NLC) chairperson Professor Barney Pityana has remained non-committal about whether three ministers are under investigation in attempts to achieve far-reaching changes at the troubled entity.
Pityana had been addressing a media briefing when GroundUp journalist Raymond Joseph, who has written a series of damning exposés on the NLC, asked him whether a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation includes Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula; Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa; Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga; and non-profit organisations linked to them.
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel announced Precious Mvulane, Dr Cassius Lubisi, Beryl Ferguson and Willie Hofmeyer as the four-member board in March, replacing the previous board which he fired amid reports of corruption.
Pityana was appointed as NLC chairperson in July.
President Cyril Ramaphosa had signed a proclamation for the SIU to probe the commission in 2020 and yesterday, the SIU told the National Assembly’s committee on trade, industry and competition that it had wrapped up the first part of its investigation into corruption amounting to R279 million.
Responding to the question on the ministers, Pityana said: “All I can say is that as far as I know, all matters are under investigation and all matters are being investigated by the institutions of state that have the capacity to do so.” Joseph also asked for an apology for abuse he, other journalists and whistle-blowers suffered as reports of malfeasance in the NLC surfaced.
Pityana said Joseph’s apology request was not without merit. He said he would not excuse his predecessors’ conduct.
“We have no interest in defending the indefensible. We have no interest in denying the wrongdoing that occurred in the past.”
He said the NLC would revert with a review.
The new board members promised transparency in how things are done.