By REGINALD KANYANE
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) raided the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) offices in Kimberley, Northern Cape on Thursday. The SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago said this comes after they have obtained a search and seizure warrant from the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court to raid the NLC offices.
“The warrant, which was obtained on 8 March 2022, authorises the SIU to search and seize evidence from the NLC 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, The Hawks, the SIU investigators, raided the NLC offices to seize evidence that might assist with an on-going investigation,” he said.
Kganyago further said, the SIU was reliably informed by whistle-blowers that NLC officials had allegedly enlisted the services of runners, who were tasked with the responsibility of scouting NPOs in the province. He said the NLC officials allegedly encouraged NPOs to apply for NLC funding and immediately after the funding was approved and released to those NPOs, the runners together with NLC officials would allegedly share approximately 30% 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 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, authorized by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of NLC and the conduct of NLC officials,” he said.
Kganyago added that 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.
He said 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.
The Guardian 