A proclamation signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, authorising the Special Investigation Unit to probe alleged corruption in the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has come into effect by it’s publication in the Government Gazette Friday November 6, 2020.
The proclamation was signed last October 20.
It allows the State to recover financial losses caused by acts of corruption, fraud and maladministration.
The offences concerned are those that took place between January 1, 2014 and the date the proclamation was published, and offences after that period can be considered if only they are relevant to, and connected with incidental or ancillary to the matters.
The following acts shall be investigated;
- Unlawful or improper conduct by any person, which has caused or may cause serious harm to the interest of the public,
- Offences in terms of the prevention and combatting of corrupt activities act,
- Intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property,
- Unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property,
- Serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of the NLC,
- Improper or unlawful conduct of NLC employees or officials.
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) it should be noted is accountable to Parliament and the President.
It has powers to search and interrogate witnesses under oath.
The unit is also empowered to take civic actions to correct any wrongdoing it uncovers in its investigations
