The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has refused to comply with demands by a non governmental organisations (NGO) to quickly give them funds to fight Covid-19 disease.
NLC spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mafela said the organisation was petitioned by Tina Thiart on Tuesday to immediately distribute funds to NGOs to fight the highly infectious disease, which has already killed 5 South Africans and infected more than 1300. Mafela said the NLC will not comply with the demands as they have suspended all their operations after the lockdown.
“National Lotteries Commission (the NLC) notes the petition in circulation for the immediate distribution of funds to NGOs to assist in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
In compliance with the gazetted regulations of the National Lockdown, all operations have been suspended,” he said.
Mafela said in a bid to help fight the disease, which is caused by the novel coronavirus, the NLC has availed R50 million to the Solidarity Fund which was announced by President Ramaphosa through its Proactive Funding mechanism, to assist in efforts to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on South Africans.
“The NLC is conscious of the needs of South Africans as a whole in the face of COVID-19 and supports the collective efforts of government to bring relief through the Solidarity Fund, which is intended to, among other goals, support those whose lives have been disrupted by the pandemic and prevent the spread of the disease,” he said.
He said because the Solidarity Fund also accepts donations from individual members of the public, the NLC joins government in urging all those with the means to donate funds to it,” he said
Mafela also said the applications for 2020/2021 funding have been moved from April 4 to May 4 as a result of the lockdown.
“These applications will be subject to the regular legislated funding process.
Payments are currently in process for applications from the financial year 2019/20 that have been adjudicated, approved for funding and have grant agreements in place,” he said.
Tina Thiart was unavailable for comment at the time of publishing.
This is a developing story. It will be updated once her comment is received.
