MINISTER DAVIES WARNED
LOTTERIES BENEFICIARIES NOT TO ENRICH THEMSELVES WITH LOTTERIES FUNDING
The National Lotteries
Board (NLB) has a zero tolerance approach towards any irregularities that
detected.
This was the central
message that the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies conveyed to a
two day NLB Stakeholder Engagement Indaba held at the Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality ,
Boksburg.
He said the National
Lotteries Distribution Fund is the largest single supporter of good cause
activities in the country. The NLB has over the last 15 years distributed R18
billion and each year they distribute around R2 billion to such causes.
Minister Davies however warned the beneficiaries that those who enrich
themselves with lotteries funding will dealt with.
“Anybody who asks for
funding for a particular purpose and uses it for self-enrichment will be dealt
with, without fear or favour,” he said.
Minister Davies told
the Indaba that the delay of beneficiaries’ approvals due to conflict of
interest by the members of the Distributing Agencies and lack of quorums during
adjudication meetings belongs to the past.
“We have decided that
we will be appointing full time Distribution Agencies in an attempt to make the
processes quicker and more efficient in terms of decision making. Also, no
longer will it just be that a member of the Distributing Agency can recuse
themselves if they have interest in a particular application. From now on, no
member of the Distributing Agency will be allowed to have any interest what so
ever with any project which is approved by the Lotteries Board,” added Minister
Davies.
The National Lotteries
Board Stakeholder Engagement Indaba will amongst others discuss the norms and
standards. Minister Davies stated that these norms and standards are very
important as they will promote accountability.
“As we broaden the
reach of the Lotteries Funding, we need to make sure that the beneficiaries are
actually doing what they are supposed to be doing. These norms and standards
will therefore assist us in ensuring that the beneficiaries know what they
should do,” stated Minister Davies.
Minister Davies also
said that he will be announcing the new lottery operator within the next coming
weeks.
“The National
Lotteries Board has done its own part regarding the next lottery operator as
they have submitted their recommendations and the ball is in my court. I am
committed to ensure that there is absolute integrity in the process of decision
making about the next lottery operator,” added Minister Davies.
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