MBOMBELA – The National Lottery Commission (NLC) states that all the information provided for the rehabilitation centre on the Uitkyk Road is above board.
NLC head of relations, marketing and communications, Ndivhuho Mafela said they have monitoring and evaluation officials which have undertaken regular inspections on the project. They have records to prove that this project provided all documents required in terms of the grant agreement as well as regular progress reports.
“The NLC wishes to set the record straight regarding progress on the planned drug and substance abuse facility at Renosterkop. We view Lowvelder’s accusations of corruption and insinuations that the beneficiary lied to the journalist in a very serious light, as they cast aspersions on both the NLC and the beneficiary. We therefore state unequivocally that due process has been followed by both the NLC and the beneficiary.”
He said the information provided by the beneficiary, Alfred Sigudla, executive director of The South African Youth Movement, is accurate.
“The issue of rezoning the property has been resolved and the beneficiary has provided the NLC with evidence thereof via correspondence from the Office of the Mbombela Appeal Tribunal. The beneficiary has further provided updates on all the terms and conditions set out in the approval letter, including submission of the site development plan to the municipality, registration of servitude, completion of fire plans and water plans.
“SAYM’s business plan clearly details how the appropriate professionals, including health care professionals, will be brought on board for the patient care programmes,” he concluded.
NLC failed to answer Lowvelder’s questions about Sigudhla’s income statements and how his grant was authorised in the first place. They also failed to answer if their department does check-ups to see what and how the money was being used.
They also failed to answer why this amount of money was given to an NPO that has no clear history in the community for running rehabilitation centres and was not registered for treatment centres countrywide.