The North West Gambling Board said it had launched an investigation into the disappearance of the tender documents related to the appointment of a service provider from its Mahikeng Head Office.
Acting corporate relations manager Lerato Mokgoje confirmed the incident. She said the missing documents contained tender bids from various service providers. These are to provide services to the board.
Documents stored in boxes in walk-in safe
“These bids were stored in four boxes within a walk-in safe of which two of the boxes were removed. The board believes that individuals accessed the safe and removed the documents. This was done without management approval or knowledge,” she said.
Mokgoje said that discovery was made during the Auditor General’s annual audit. The board swiftly reported the incident to the police.
She said it was suspected that the documents were removed from the premises during the last quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year.
Staff took polygraph tests
Mokgoje said all employees and management were made to participate in voluntary polygraph tests. This was meant as a proactive measure to assist the investigation.
The Accounting Authority of the Board, Boitumelo Qalinge, condemned the incident.
“Misconduct of such nature cannot be tolerated. Especially from those employed to serve the citizens of the North West Province and the country at large.
“The North West Gambling Board has zero tolerance towards corruption, gross misconduct and criminal acts,” Qalinge said.
The board said criminal charges are expected to be filed against individuals identified as primary suspects in the case.
Gambling board fraught with controversies
The North West Gambling Board is an entity of the provincial Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation, and Tourism. It was established to regulate gambling in the province.
Last year, it was reported that North West’s new MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism has asked the province’s gambling board to resign, leaving the entity in turmoil.
Bitsa Lenkopane informed board chairperson Vuyo Peach and “all individual members to voluntarily resign”. Lenkopane did this in a letter dated 4 July last year.
“In the event the chairperson and members of the board hold a contrary view to resigning, they should furnish [me] with the reasons within a 48-hour period. “Failure to heed this advice will lead the MEC to exercise her legislative powers in dealing with the situation,” read the letter.
What’s up to every body, it’s my first pay a
visit of this webpage; this blog carries remarkable and in fact fine material designed for readers.