Lotto
Lotto
Report Back on Lotto March
Many thanks to the 450 NGOs who marched to the National Lotteries Board (NLB) offices in Pretoria and the hundreds who signed our petition and supported us. NGOs from throughout South Africa i.e. Eastern, Western and Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, North West, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Gauteng. People travelled from as far as Secunda, Nelspruit, Vereeniging to voice their outrage – one only has to look at the posters to gage their opinions.
We must also thank the media for the extensive coverage we received in the week leading up to the march – radio, TV and press, which clearly highlighted the corruption and maladministration of the lotto and the distributing agency.
And yet, the chairperson of the board, Alfred Nevhuthanda, persists in dismissing our concerns in a most condescending and unsatisfactory way.
It is my view that the only time when we present irrefutable evidence of corruption, we will be able to bring about change and take this matter to the Public Prosecutor. During the Lotto’s road shows last year, NGOs did come forward and report cases of bribery, which the Lotto has done nothing about – could these people please contact me?
The way forward
We now have a core of representatives within the sector, people with years of experience who are willing to ensure that the sector is treated fairly, honestly and is acknowledged for the vital services they provide.
We would like to call a press conference in about three weeks to give NGOs the opportunity to present proof of corruption, maladministration and bribery.
Conclusion
There is an abundance of dedicated, professional and experienced people who work in this sector and one has to wonder why the NLB has never bothered to seriously seek their input or opinions when determining policies.
Our time is now – we must use this opportunity to expose corruption, bribery and maladministration in order to ensure our survival so that the most marginalised people in South Africa are not forgotten.
On behalf of the NGO sector:
Sandra Millar
Tel: 012 430 2630
Mobile: 082 555 4905
E-mail: sandra@sandramillar.co.zaLotto Funding Crisis: Struggle to Hold NLB Accountable
The frustrations experienced by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) when applying for lotto funding came under spotlight when a group of NGOs marched to the National Lotteries Board (NLB) offices on 27 January 2012 in Pretoria.
The march highlighted NGOs’ concerns regarding the Lotto which are well-documented in a study undertaken by the Funding Practice Alliance, the class action to the Western Cape High Court and other related issues.
Shelagh Gastrow of Inyathelo - The South African Institute for Advancement argues that the march highlighted the growing national anger over the way the NLB distributes public funds. Gastrow slammed the NLB for its “Epic failure of the board to fulfil its stated mandate to distribute funds to NGOs that make a difference to the lives of all South Africans, especially the most vulnerable.”
The situation has also irked the fury of the opposition, Democratic Alliance, which expressed the view that there is a ‘growing trend’ where needy charities are being overlooked by the NLB in favour of African National Congress-aligned organisations. The DA also questions the way board members of distributing agencies are appointed.
Meanwhile, government’s intention to amend the National Lotteries Act to speed up the processing of applications for funding is an encouraging step in the right direction. However, we hope that such amendments will translate in the removal of existing bottlenecks.
Below are some of the articles previously published on NGO Pulse in relation to the Lotto issue:- March to the Lotto Offices
- NLB CEO Resigns
- Charities to Demand Answers Over NLB Grants
- Department to Amend the Lottery Act
- Lotto Board Won’t Pay for Audit – Nevhutanda
- NLB Blamed for NGO Closure
- NLB to Act on Alleged Irregularities
- NGOs Urged to Bring Graft Proof
- NLB Failure is Also Minister’s Fault
- NGOs Lose Funding to ANC – DA
NGO Approaches Court Over Lotto
The North Gauteng High Court is being asked to force the National Lotteries Board (NLB) to honour a R20.4 million grant that it withdrew barely a month after awarding.
According to a press release by Adams and Adams, papers have been lodged demanding the setting aside of the decision to withdraw the grant made to the Molteno Institute for Language and Literacy.
The organisation’s Masennya Dikotla, who claim that the funds were allocated in June 2012, says that they were informed that its grant had been withdrawn due to the current budget constraints of the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).
Top read the article titled, “Court asked to force lotto to honour R20m grant,” click here.Source:News24Staff Memo Rocks Lotto
A memo by National Lotteries Board senior staff claims that former chief executive, Vevek Ram, received pay from a lottery beneficiary with the full knowledge of the board and worked as CEO for 12 years without an employment contract.
The memo from a key national lottery funding committee lifts the lid on new allegations of corruption, incompetence and illegality in the organisation that controls about R3 billion in payouts annually.
The document exposes ‘rivalry and animosity’ between the board and the distribution agency, and suggests that there are serious irregularities in the awarding of lottery grants to beneficiaries.
To read the article titled, “Staff memo rocks Lotto,” click here.Source:News24Orphans Left In Lurch
The Emndeni Skills Development and Orphan Drop-in Centre, which offers activities such as food schemes, farming, business and computer skills to 550 Soweto residents, faces financial crisis.
The Centre’s programme manager, Nomaswazi Mhlaba, who says that they have applied for Lotto funds in January last year, states that, "Normally, it takes up to six months for the whole application and funding process to be completed."
Mhlaba maintains that the Centre, which had been previously funded by the National Lotteries Board (NLB), has not received any response from the National Lotteries Board.
To read the article titled, “Orphans left in lurch,” click here.Source:Sowetan LiveCharities Lose Funding Due to Infighting
Three nonprofit organisations in the skills, social and environmental sectors could have received R58 million had it not been for the infighting between two Lotto bodies.
However, the tensions between the National Lotteries Board (NLB) and the distributing agencies have led to a situation where several NGOs have been unable to access funds.
An internal document also reveals how the NLB reversed a decision by one of the distribution agencies to fund three of the many dependent organisations last year.
To read the article titled, “Charities lose R58m because of Lotto infighting,” click here.Source:Sowetan LiveNLB Urges NGOs to Produce Proof
The National Lotteries Board (NLB) has challenged NGOs and other organisations which protested at its offices to produce evidence of any corruption or irregularities at the board.
NLB chairperson, Alfred Nevhutanda, points out that, “We must be clear what the audit report they are calling for means, because we are a public entity and we are audited internally and by the Auditor-General (A-G).
Nevhutanda says that the A-G report highlighted many of factors but it never called for any forensic audit to be undertaken.
His comments come after nearly 450 members of various NGOs marched to the NLB offices to hand in a memorandum about their grievances.
To read the article titled, “Lotteries board wants graft proof,” click here.Source:Independent OnlineMinister Also to Blame for NLB Failure
The march by NGOs against the National Lotteries Board (NLB) showed the growing national anger over the way the NLB distributes our public funds, according to Shelagh Gastrow, one of the founders of Inyathelo, the South African Institute for Advancement.
Gastrow states that the lack of accountability and transparency over the way the lottery operates and its random decision making, poor management and inefficient administration is devastating the essential work of many wonderful NGOs in the country.
She argues that one of the key problems is that the distribution agencies that make the decisions about the ‘lucky NGOs’ that receive grants do not report directly to the NLB itself.
To read the article titled, “Failure of lotteries board is also fault of Minister Davies,” click here.Source:Independent OnlineNLB to Act on Alleged Irregularities
The National Lotteries Board (NLB) has promised to investigate allegations of irregularities against it.
NLB Board chairperson, Alfred Nevhuthanda, promised corrective action after receiving a memorandum from hundreds of protesters against the NLB in Pretoria.
"We take allegations made in the media seriously -- claims of request(s) for bribes, losing information (about applicants), and irregular grants. Remedial action will be taken where needed," he explained.
To read the article titled, “Lotto promises corrective action after protest,” click here.Source:Times LiveNLB Blamed for NGO Closure
The National Lotteries Board (NLB) has inflicted a grave injustice on deserving organisations that are at the coalface of alleviating poverty and providing succour to the destitute, according to an article by Redi Thalbi.
Tlhabi states that various branches of Child Welfare, which provides assistance to 65 000 orphans and vulnerable children, have had applications denied owing to an ‘administrative error’.
The Abraham Kriel Home in Johannesburg, which has been looking after orphans since 1902, faces closure - but the NLB and its distribution agencies are happy to allocate money to expensive youth festivals and trade union activities.
To read the article titled, “Roll over and play dumb as the Lotto rips us off,” click here.Source:Times Live
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