The Lottery and its discontents

Here are articles on who plays the South African Lottery, how the Lottery money is distributed, and dodgy dealings by the National Lotteries Commission and its recipients.

GroundUp wins lottery court battle

Attempt to force us to stop publishing details of grants abandoned

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Law | 21 July 2020

Parliament to order National Lotteries Commission to hand over details of all its grants

Refusal to do so would not “withstand constitutional scrutiny”, says parliamentary legal adviser

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News | 15 July 2020

Ebrahim Patel says names of lottery-funded organisations should be made public

Minister makes it clear that he disagrees with National Lotteries Commission’s refusal to disclose recipients of grants

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News | 1 July 2020

Government investigates lottery

Minister Ebrahim Patel confirms probe in letter to Parliament

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News | 29 June 2020

“Lawfare” launched against GroundUp to stop us exposing lottery corruption

The National Lotteries Commission is a corrupt, captured state institution that is enabling the pillaging of poor people’s money

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GroundView | 25 June 2020

Hijacked organisation gets millions in Lottery grants

Police demand proof before accepting criminal complaint

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Feature | 22 June 2020

United Civil Society in Action sues GroundUp and the National Lotteries Commission

Case brought after GroundUp exposed dodgy grants and looting of funds

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News | 17 June 2020

Lottery fails to name beneficiaries of multimillion-rand Covid-19 fund

MP complains to Parliament about lack of disclosure

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News | 11 June 2020

NPA declines to prosecute Lottery looter

This is a civil matter, says state advocate

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News | 3 June 2020

Lottery throws millions more at dodgy projects

The National Lotteries Commission has refused to disclose its beneficiaries. But we found them

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News | 25 May 2020

Lotto looter Lesley Ramulifho has committed fraud and perjury

Affidavit contains manipulated bank statements and forged signatures

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News | 13 May 2020

Covid-19: Minister puts a stop to lottery ticket sales

Unclear why National Lotteries Commission was selling a non-essential good during lockdown

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News | 25 April 2020

Covid-19: You can’t buy warm food, but you can buy Lottery tickets

No explanation offered as to why this has remained an essential good

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Opinion | 24 April 2020

Dodgy off-the-shelf companies cash in on Lottery millions

Huge grants given to Lottopreneurs with no track record

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News | 10 April 2020

Lottery was warned in 2014 about fraud – and yet it continued

Had all the recommendations been taken seriously hundreds of millions of rands would not have been wasted in subsequent years

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News | 3 April 2020

“Scandal-ridden” Lottery chairperson to serve extra year

Alfred Nevhutanda will keep his position until November

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News | 30 March 2020