The EFF on Wednesday once again called on parliament’s Trade, Industry and Competition portfolio committee chairperson Mzwandile Masina to summon Minister Parks Tau to explain the new National lottery operator.
This follows the official announcement that Sizekhaya Holdings is the new operator as of next month.
Consortium has links to top politicians
The company is a consortium involving companies owned by KwaZulu-Natal businessmen Sandile Zungu and Moses Tembe.
The EFF has protested that Zungu and Tembe’s proximity to MK party leader Jacob Zuma and the ANC make them politically exposed individuals.
This over and above the process leading up to Sizekhaya appointment that the red berets have insisted was marred by irregularities.
“We reiterate that Sizekhaya’s selection is tainted by multiple conflicts of interest, including the direct involvement of National Lotteries Commission (NLC) evaluation panel members with personal and financial ties to Goldrush Consortium,” wrote EFF MP Sinawo Thambo to Masina.
“We also raised serious concerns about political exposure, noting that Mr Sandile Zungu and Mr Moses Tembe, both owners of Goldrush, are politically aligned with the African National Congress (ANC) and former President Jacob Zuma of the MK Party, in contravention of Section 13(2)(b)(iv) of the National Lotteries Act.
EFF wants Minister Tau to explain
“Despite these well-documented concerns, Minister Tau proceeded with the announcement without ever appearing before the Committee to account. This is a direct affront to the Committee’s oversight role and an act of contempt toward parliamentary processes and public accountability.”
Thambo has pleaded with Masina to haul Tau before the portfolio committee without delay before Sizekhaya starts work on June 1.
When Tau appears before the committee, the EFF has four main issues it seeks him to clarify:
- The process followed in selecting Sizekhaya as the operator.
- His failure to address the flagged conflicts of interest and political exposure.
- Whether legal advice was sought in light of Sizekhaya’s eligibility or lack thereof.
- His justification for proceeding despite the pending legal matters and previous correspondence raising these issues.
Threat of legal action
Thambo said the EFF would not hesitate to pursue litigation should Masina not ensure Tau is made to account before the committee.
“The Committee must act decisively to uphold its constitutional duty as the credibility of the National Lottery and the integrity of Parliament are at stake. The EFF reserves its right to pursue all legal avenues should this matter not be treated with the seriousness it deserves.”
