Lottery bosses turned to Condition Security Agency to investigate leaks

Lottery bosses turned to Condition Security Agency to investigate leaks

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Former National Lotteries Commission (NLC) board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda asked the Point out Protection Agency (SSA) in December 2018 to analyze the leaking of documents that uncovered lottery corruption.
The NLC’s corporation secretary at time listed media stories she mentioned were being based upon “stolen” details within an affidavit with the SSA.
The SSA did investigate. It located the data wasn't a matter of state security and that the “prevalence of alleged corruption and irregularities” gave “ample motive” for your media to expose it.
A whole new board and administration has considering the fact that taken over the NLC and thus far have taken steps to finish corruption on the institution.
A Point out Protection Agency (SSA) investigation found the “prevalence” of alleged corruption and irregularities involving the NLC and its beneficiaries “presented ample motive” for publicity through the media.

The probe into meant “data security breaches and sabotage of NLC functions” was carried out soon after then-NLC board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda wrote to the SSA in December 2018 requesting it to research.

Here's

Nevhutanda’s letter,
an affidavit by now suspended NLC company secretary Nompumelelo Nene supporting the request, and
the security agency’s “confidential” conclusions and proposals.
Nevhutanda asked the SSA to investigate the function of NLC workers during the alleged leaking of information, and Nene, in her affidavit determined certain media and reviews that she claimed associated these leaks.

While in the letter outlining its conclusions, the SSA instructed the NLC that whilst guarding state info was “a lawful essential geared toward safeguarding the sovereignty and integrity in the state” this only applied to correctly labeled data.

Even though it did not say so directly, the SSA findings implied that the allegedly leaked details didn't slide into this group.

Substantially, the SSA created it obvious that the necessity to secure state information “isn't going to reduce any specific from blowing the whistle on corruption or irregular or criminality”.

The SSA investigation found that the NLC facts involved in the alleged breach was “sensitive and privileged in nature, but not labeled regarding the prescripts of your Minimum amount Facts Stability Standards (MISS)”.

“The leakage with the appropriate sensitive Formal NLC info into the media isn't going to pose a threat to nationwide security,” the SSA claimed, introducing that the impact on the breaches was reputational.

The SSA report discovered “no evidence of the factual and incriminating mother nature towards any on the suspected NLC employees that can be discovered from the data and data interrogated”.

It also said that “the prevalence of alleged corruption and irregularities inside the NLC and at its beneficiaries does give sufficient motive to get these kinds of exposed in the media”.

Conspiracy statements
In 2020, Nevhutanda explained to MPs through a session of Parliament’s trade, marketplace and Levels of competition portfolio committee that there was “a conspiracy” during which details “stolen” through the NLC was despatched towards the US, where by he claimed it had been becoming offered to fund a smear marketing campaign in opposition to the NLC.

He was repeating identical claims he had Earlier built in Parliament, which incorporated advertisement hominem assaults on GroundUp and this reporter but was mindful not to name either.

“I came listed here In this particular August household past calendar year and claimed to honourable customers that details about our beneficiaries has become stolen and put in a single condition in America,” he explained to MPs.

“We termed to the State Stability Agency to come back explore the make any difference mainly because we are receiving experiences that our details is building cash for media platforms and journalists,” he reported. “There's been converse, certainly from 1 resource, just one media, that spoke Substantially about proactive-funding,” Nevhutanda explained (referring to GroundUp), but failed to notify MPs that the SSA investigation were concluded Just about a 12 months previously.

Proactive funding was at the center with the looting with the lottery. It aspect-stepped the conventional grant course of action. The NLC could itself identify a job to fund and appoint a non-earnings organisation to supervise it.

Following Nevhutanda first instructed Parliament in 2018 that he had requested the SSA to investigate the meant breach, the South African National Editors Forum issued an announcement stating that his remarks reflected “a particularly harmful attitude the place the media is becoming blamed for the NLC’s inherent troubles”.

“Rather then investigating why tens of millions can't be accounted for, the NLC has in its place made an effort to cast question to the integrity of your journalists involved and has questioned the SSA to investigate their resources.”

Proactive projects made solution
Security flaws recognized in the NLC grant funding process in the course of the SSA’s investigation, seem to have been applied being an justification by the NLC to eliminate all proactive-funded projects from its central grants technique.

“In or about 21 December 2019, the classification of all pro-actively funding initiatives was heightened to ‘secret’ and assignments have been removed from the grant funding procedure and taken care of manually beneath the custody of [Tsietsi Maselwa] the NLC’s [then] Deputy Information Office, Govt Manager Lawful so as to safeguard [the] details,” Nene claimed in her affidavit.

“There was many inside discussion, with a great deal of back and forth, about what to do to plug the alleged leaks”, a resource, who was in a senior posture within the NLC at the time, informed GroundUp. “In the long run, the choice was taken to get rid of many of the proactive projects through the program and limit use of a handful of people today”.

Some in that handful of men and women had been implicated in corruption.

Maselwa, who resigned with the NLC quite a few decades ago, has long been implicated in corruption involving lottery money. He gained R4.three-million from lottery cash allocated to create a library and museum advanced in Kuruman (see Taung Cultural Tunes and Arts Expo) which he applied to construct a house in an upmarket gated development in Pretoria. The property is among many paid for with lottery cash that were frozen once the Asset Forfeiture Unit received a preservation order in December 2022.

The politically-linked Nevhutanda, who was appointed because the NLC board chairperson by previous President Jacob Zuma in 2009 and was near substantial-ups within the ANC Management, previous NLC previous Commissioner Thabang Mampane, and ex-chief working officer Phillemon Letwaba, have all been implicated from the corruption which overwhelmed the NLC on their observe.

Also implicated are former board users William Huma, who resigned right after he was confronted with evidence of how he had profited from corrupt lottery grants, and Muthuhadini Madzivhandila, who has due to the fact died.

Whenever a new administration, including the total board and government, took in excess of for the NLC in late 2022 and early 2023, they learned a “chaotic mess” from the documentation associated with proactive funding, Considerably of which was paper-primarily based. Key paperwork were lacking. Data files held for safekeeping by document storage company Metrofile had been signed out and never returned.

The NLC was in the position to recover copies of some หวย รัฐบาล documents from its Mimecast email archiving procedure and the laptops in their assistants and assist personnel.

News reports
In his one December 2018 letter, dealt with to then SSA Minister Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, Nevhutanda wrote: “The NLC has pointed out with grave problem possible facts security breaches plus the unauthorised use and/or dissemination of confidential data attained as a result of undertaking Formal features during the Fee by NLC employees. The activities are intended to undermine the integrity from the Commission whilst disrupting the efficient functions [of the NLC] and causing insurmountable reputational hurt to your Commission since the custodian of personal information entrusted to it by its beneficiaries.”

His ask for to the SSA to investigate was supported within an affidavit by suspended NLC organization secretary, Nomphumelelo Nene.

Nene is presently facing a disciplinary inquiry soon after she was unsuccessful in lawful action to set aside conclusions of irregular expenditure on her observe.

The goal of her affidavit, Nene stated, was “to report the events which transpired associated with information and facts stability breaches in the Nationwide Lotteries Commission”.

She outlined different news studies which she claimed have been the outcome of these “breaches” (see at the end of this informative article).

Nene explained that a whistle-blower approached the NLC alleging that amongst its workforce, Sello Qhino, experienced “offered her classified NLC Information and persistently inspired her to supply the information to GroundUp”.

Qhino, who blew the whistle with a number of dodgy lottery-funded assignments in Kuruman immediately after tries to lift The difficulty internally were disregarded, was subsequently fired.

Referring to an eighteen November 2018 posting during the Each day Dispatch with regard to the misappropriation of Lottery cash, Nene explained the NLC identified and after that suspended Zintle Rungqu. She was an staff inside the NLC’s East London office, who was the associate and also the mother of whistleblower Mzukise Makatse’s 3 small children.

Rungqu and Makatse feel Rungqu was punished for the reason that Makatse blew the whistle. She was suspended and billed internally, Using the NLC paying R470,000 on attorneys to symbolize it, but was located not guilty and allowed to return to work.

“The common Think about these content is that [they require] categorised info referring to proactive funding jobs,” Nene explained in her affidavit.

When Runqu was suspended, Makatse moved out of your household dwelling to take the warmth off her and his children. Struggling with homelessness, he moved into an Business office within an empty manufacturing unit belonging to a pal.

Both Makatse and Qhino are participating in an NLC reparation system intended to recognise the damage many people experienced for the hands of your NLC. Apologies and, in some cases, monetary payment are envisioned.

“Some individuals were truly impacted quite negatively by this … This is admittedly unpleasant,” NLC Commissioner Jodi Scholtz explained to the Day by day Maverick last yr.

“I satisfied a number of these persons. It absolutely was just so coronary heart-wrenching that their whole life are turned the wrong way up,” said Scholtz.

Between those she satisfied have been Qhino and Makatse.

Harmless System wanted for whistleblowers
The SSA discovered the absence at time of a correct channel for whistleblowers to report corruption led them to turn for the media.

“Failure to have a committed anti-corruption channel will lead to staff members presenting these conditions outside of the NLC,” the SSA mentioned in its findings.

“Given the magnitude of corruption in point out establishments, it stays important that it makes certain that the NLC complies with all stability prescripts Which its concentration is on making certain that unlawful and irregular perform is adequately mitigated towards and by ensuring an suitable channel for whistle-blowers to report untoward carry out devoid of currently being intimidated.”

It advised the NLC build a “Risk-free channel” for workers to provide information on any “untoward action” that may not stop or discourage staff members from blowing the whistle. A whistle-blowers plan, according to the Guarded Disclosures Act 25 of 2000, is really a requirement.”

Media reviews Nene listed
A ten December 2017 report from the Limpopo Mirror about corruption and maladministration involving the Lottery-funded Vhembe Health and fitness and Conditioning Centre in Limpopo. GroundUp has worked intently with Anton van Zyl, an investigative reporter and proprietor from the Limpopo Mirror, to expose NLC corruption. “The post experienced things of knowledge not obtainable in the general public domain, therefore raising worry on internal Information and facts safety breaches. The allegations in the media have been independently investigated,” Nene stated. “However, staff members answerable for divulging labeled information have however for being determined”;
A 28 January 2018 posting posted from the Dally Dispatch “citing many allegations through the Limpopo Mirror report released on 10 December 2017 plus a new allegation concerning a previous personnel through the identify of Mzukisi Makatse. He was charged and summarily dismissed with the threat brought about to the organisation.”
A 16 November 2018 posting inside the Lowvelder concerning the misappropriation of NLC money involving a lottery-funded drug rehabilitation centre. GroundUp has described how, Despite receiving R27-million in lottery grants, the rehab hasn't been completed. “The Lowvelder post contained classified info with regards to NLC coverage, elevating additional issues of interior information and facts protection breaches,” Nene explained in her affidavit. “The prima facie evidence with regards to these allegations did not warrant an unbiased Investigation, on the other hand [it] highlighted the heightened data security pitfalls throughout the NLC.”
A 22 November 2018 GroundUp expose about a dodgy R27.five-million grant to Denzhe Main Care, a hijacked NPO. Nene reported GroundUp had confirmed in its story that it had been dependant on leaked NLC documents. This was despite the NLC rejecting a PAIA (Promotion of Entry to Data) ask for for facts concerning the task, she explained

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