Cabinet has noted the remarkable progress achieved by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in their intensive investigation of maladministration and corruption within the National Lotteries Commission.

Cabinet has urged other law-enforcement agencies dealing with this matter to complete their work as soon as possible.

“This will ensure the necessary steps can be taken to hold accountable persons or organisations implicated in the unlawful misappropriation of funds earmarked to benefit the poor,” said Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele who briefed media in Pretoria on Thursday, following a Cabinet meeting, on Wednesday.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has obtained a search and seizure warrant from the Kimberly Magistrate Court in the Northern Cape province to raid the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) offices.

The warrant, which was obtained on Tuesday, authorises the SIU to search and seize evidence from the NLC-Kimberly office relating to the funding of Non-Profit Organisations (NPO) to uplift communities in the province.

Accompanied by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Prevention (HAWKS), SIU investigators are currently raiding NLC offices to seize evidence that might assist with an ongoing investigation.

The SIU was reliably informed by whistleblowers that NLC officials had allegedly enlisted services of runners, who were tasked with the responsibility of scouting NPOs in the province and encourage them to apply for NLC funding.

Immediately after the funding was approved and released to NPOs, it is alleged that the runners together with NLC officials would share approximately 30 percent of the funding.

Fearing that normal procedure of requesting documents, in accordance with SIU Act 74 of 1996, might result in crucial evidence being compromised, the SIU approached the Magistrate Court for a search and seizure warrant to raid NLC office.

The SIU is looking to seize documents, laptops and computer hard drives.

The SIU was, in terms of Proclamation R32 of 2020, authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of NLC and the conduct of NLC officials.

The proclamation covers offences which took place between 1 January 2014 and 6 November 2020, the date of publication of this Proclamation, or which took place prior to 1 January 2014.

It also covers any offences after the proclamation date that are relevant to, connected with, incidental to the matters or involve the same persons, entities or contracts investigated under authority of Proclamation R32 of 2020.

Source: South African Government News Agency