South African media personality Minnie Dlamini has agreed to pay back the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) a total of R50 000.
MINNIE DLAMINI TO REPAY NLC AFTER PROBE
TV host Minnie Dlamini agreed to pay back R50 000 to National Lotteries Commission (NLC) after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into irregular funding. The SIU said that the media personality received the funds unlawfully from a non-profit organisation, Mshandukani Foundation, that received a grant from the NLC.
This grant was meant to support the 2016 Rio Olympic Games roadshow through South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the investigation found that the Foundation received an estimated R24.8 million from the NLC.
‘FUNDS WERE NOT LAWFULLY DUE TO HER’
Kganyago has stated that Minnie has fully cooperated in the investigation and acknowledged that the funds were not due to her.
“Ms Dlamini has fully cooperated with the SIU investigation and has acknowledged that the funds were not lawfully due to her,” said Kganyago.
“The repayment forms part of the SIU’s broader efforts to recover misappropriated public funds and hold all recipients of irregular payments accountable, regardless of the amount involved,” said Kganyago.
The SIU will be continuning civil and criminal action against other individuals and entities implicated in the scheme.
“The primary mission of the SIU is to recover proceeds from beneficiaries of NLC grant funding who are involved in unlawful activities, thereby restoring the State’s financial losses,” read the statement.
The SIU was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration within the NLC and to recover financial losses incurred by the State. This was through the Proclamation R32 of 2020.
“Any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during investigations will be forwarded to the National Prosecuting Authority for further legal action,” added Kganyago.
The news comes as South Africans are mourning the loss of DJ Warras.