Lottery corruption: SIU granted order against pension of former NLC official

A court has granted a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) request to prevent a senior National Lotteries Commission official from accessing their pension.

The order resulted from the SIU’s investigation into a R6 million payment made to a sports foundation based in Soweto.

This matter is part of a larger SIU investigation into potentially irregular NLC payments exceeding R1 billion.

R6 million wasted

Former NLC COO Sanele Dlamini was dismissed in November after being linked to an irregular lotto grant payment.

The order granted to the SIU prevents Dlamini from accessing his pension as a way of recovering a portion of the payment made to the sports foundation.

Motheo Sports and Entertainment Foundation received millions from the NLC for a sports facility that was never built.

“[The order] limits the risk of a hollow judgment if funds were released, noting concerns that Mr Dlamini may lack sufficient assets to satisfy future claims,” stated the SIU.

Motheo was given R6 million towards the failed facility, and Dlamini’s retirement fund has been given 60 days to disclose the value of his pension.

“This preservation is intended to ensure that funds remain available for potential recovery should the SIU succeed in its claim,” the entity concluded.

SIU recovery efforts

The order against Dlamini is just one facet of a larger investigation that is set to conclude by the end of the year.

As of May 2025, R9.5 million had been recovered by the SIU, but phase three of the investigation will target matters worth a combined R900 million.

Phase one of the NLC investigation scrutinised payments totalling roughly R279 million, while phase two had an estimated payment value of R246 million.

The NLC is in the midst of a period of transition as parties vie for the licence to operate the nation’s lottery processes.

The NLC awarded the lottery licence to a new service provider at the end of May, but also granted the existing operators a 12-month temporary licence to facilitate a smooth transition.

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