The Democratic Alliance (DA) will question law enforcement agencies and the National Lottery Commission (NLC) board at the upcoming meeting of the portfolio committee on Commerce, Industry and competition, scheduled for November 5.

We will ensure that the full extent of corruption within the NLC is uncovered. If it becomes clear that the whistleblowers were victims of a miscarriage of justice, the DA will explore ways in which Mr. Makate and other whistleblowers will be compensated if their allegations prove true.

This comes after it was revealed that the NLC spent almost R70 million on legal fees, defending several staff disciplinary cases between 2019 and 2023 and, under the current board, taking legal action against members staff accused of abusing their positions and misappropriating lottery funds. .

The DA recently discovered this information through a written response from the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau. The report documented 50 cases in which the NLC challenged employment tribunal decisions, defended staff dismissals or took legal action against staff in disciplinary cases.

Just one case, involving whistleblower Mr Makatse, cost more than R8.8 million. Mr Makatse, a former NLC employee, was suspended and fired after refusing to accept a multi-million rand lottery grant for a for-profit music festival. The suspension and dismissal took place shortly before the grant was paid, although Makatse had expressed concerns about corrupt dealings within the NLC. His appeals for justice were rejected, leaving him destitute. In 2023, Makatse received international recognition as a whistleblower, being one of five South Africans to receive the Blueprint for Free Speech award.

The DA will hold the current NLC board and law enforcement accountable at the committee meeting, ensuring they follow up on ongoing criminal investigations by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA ) and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) into the R1.4 billion illegally. received a grant. If whistleblowers are denied justice, the DA is prepared to take legal action to correct this injustice and ensure full accountability and appropriate compensation.