#NotInMyName has approached the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) to share more on allegations that the NLC former benefactor and veteran journalist Raymond Joseph used his status in society to drag the organisation’s name through the mud.
This after Joseph allegedly used his status in society to drag the NLC through the mud after the organisation ceased to fund his projects.
#NotInMyName president Siyabulela Jentile released a statement which raised their concerns about journalists who use their powers to satisfy their own agendas.
“We would like to address Mr Raymond Joseph openly and challenge him to produce evidence of his allegations through relevant authorities. This should not be interpreted as an attack on a journalist, as activists we stand for and advocate for media freedom in South Africa.
“The National Lotteries Commission, through their grants allocation, play a vital role in ensuring sustainability of NPOs and NGOs in the country. This is an organisation that despite Raymond’s negative publications, has achieved five consecutive clean audits with the Auditor General of South Africa,” reads the statement in part.
He credited the NLC board, trade and industry minister and the commissioner for what he considers a good job in ensuring good governance and “clean financial management within the organisation.
“We are aware of the pending court case where Mr [Phillimon] Letwaba (NLC CEO) is suing Mr Raymond for his inaccurate, misleading reporting and misinterpretation of facts…
“Mr Raymond has been a beneficiary of the NLC grants from 2001 until 2014, a year in which, coincidentally, was the year that COO joined the NLC. We have seen documents that Raymond Joseph was a director of The Big Issue Cape Town, an organisation that was directly funded by the NLC from 2001 until 2014 until he resigned as a director in 2016 – when their applications could not meet the requirements for grant approval,” reads the statement.
Staff Reporter
#NotInMyName defends NLC
