The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has dismissed former acting Chief Operating Officer Sanele Dlamini following internal charges related to two suspicious multimillion-rand lottery grants.
Dlamini, formerly the NLC’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial manager, was appointed as acting COO after Phillemon Letwaba’s sudden resignation amid disciplinary charges, including authorising the two projects now under investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Hawks.
One of the projects involved a sports center in Soweto that was never built, despite substantial funds disbursed by the NLC, as previously reported by GroundUp.
Another disciplinary inquiry recommended the dismissal of Sibonelo Vilakazi, an NLC client liaison officer, after revelations that his wife’s company received lottery grants for football clubs and crèches.
Both Dlamini and Vilakazi have appealed their dismissals, delaying their departure and allowing them to continue receiving full salaries until the appeals are resolved.
According to Trade, Industry, and Competition Minister Parks Tau, six other NLC employees are under disciplinary inquiry and on cautionary suspension, while a seventh individual faces charges but is not suspended.
Since their suspensions, which began between November 2022 and July 2024, these employees have received nearly R8.4 million in salary payments.
Among those suspended is NLC company secretary Nompumelo Nene, who has received nearly R5 million since her suspension in November 2022.
The Johannesburg High Court previously ordered Nene to cover legal costs after she unsuccessfully tried to stop her disciplinary proceedings.
Other suspended officials include legal manager Gugulethu Yako, Free State provincial manager Thokozile Mandyu, and Free State deputy provincial manager Mavis Tabane, with each continuing to receive substantial salaries during suspension.
Minister Tau highlighted the NLC’s zero-tolerance approach to fraud and corruption, placing officials on suspension if implicated in SIU or forensic audit reports.
Tau noted that of the 34 employees cited in previous forensic reports, 16 resigned, and one retired due to medical reasons.
Criminal cases will be opened in cases involving fraud and corruption, with the possibility of recovering misappropriated funds.
Tau added that all criminal referrals by the SIU are directed to Advocate Marshall Mokgatlhe, Regional Head of the Special Commercial Crimes Unit.
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