DTI probe into claims of National Lottery corruption 'will be bigger than VBS'

The investigation was brought about largely by GroundUp journalist Raymond Joseph bringing the claims of corruption to light.

The Department of Trade and Industry has commissioned an independent investigation into multi-million rand lottery-funded projects.

The investigation was brought about largely by GroundUp journalist Raymond Joseph who wrote a scathing article exposing allegations of widespread corruption at the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), with claims of at least part of the 30% of lottery ticket monies that is supposed to go to good causes.

Joseph says the Commission on two occasions commissioned its own inquiry.

So they were investigating themselves - and in both cases found the organisation had done nothing wrong.

Raymond Joseph, Investigative journalist - GroundUp

There have been accusations of nepotism against their COO.

His family has profited hugely from lottery-funded projects.

Raymond Joseph, Investigative journalist - GroundUp

DTI Minister Patel had tasked them to lay charges in the case of projects that had not been done, and the NLC released yet another report concluding no wrong-doing, says Joseph.

I think Patel had just had enough and he has ordered separately his own inquiry.

Raymond Joseph, Investigative journalist - GroundUp

The inquiry is limited to investigating 4 particular projects running into tens of millions of rands. They are infrastructure projects that have never been completed says Joseph.

Once this has been done and all added up it is going to be bigger than VBS. It has been going on for years.

Raymond Joseph, Investigative journalist - GroundUp

For the past 18 years, the NLC always listed the beneficiaries and amounts allocated in its annual report.

Joseph says he has no doubt that it was a result of this ongoing GroundUp investigation over the past few years that resulted in the NLC refusing to publish the beneficiary list in 2018 for the first time.

He says they used arguments that publishing such information would be illegal.

He says not all who work at the lottery are corrupt and not all projects are corrupt.

Certain parties are suing GroundUp and Joseph for defamation.

Listen to the interview below:

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