NATIONAL NEWS - The DA will launch a PAIA application to obtain the names of members of the lottery licence bid evaluation committee, bid adjudication committee and quality assurance committee.
MP Toby Chance, the DA spokesperson on Trade, Industry and Competition, says only once these names become public, can their connections to the contesting bidders be assessed.
Chance says Minister Parks Tau, Minister of Trade and Industry, is refusing to reveal these names, hiding behind his offer to reveal them during the Ithuba Holdings Lottery hearing in the Gauteng High Court where Ithuba is contesting the minister’s decision to award the 4th lotto licence to Sizekhaya Holdings.
"A date for this court hearing has not been set and we cannot wait indefinitely to have transparency on who these people are," Chance says in a statement issued this morning.
In addition to the PAIA application, the DA is demanding Tau’s appearance before Parliament to report back on his commitment to initiate an investigation into ties between Bellamont Gaming, Sizekhaya Holdings and Deputy President Paul Mashatile's family.
Andrew Whitfield, Tau's deputy minister until a month ago, was ostensibly fired by President Cyril Ramaphosa for undertaking a trip to the USA without presidential permission, but Whitfield maintains that this was not the real reason and that he had been sidelined by Tau for many months.
The DA said Whitfield was fired for doing his job, including asking uncomfortable questions about the national lottery tender.
Speaking to Sowetan Live, Mashatile dismissed claims of any interference from his side in the Lotto bid process, saying many South Africans know him and that surely these people should be allowed to do business in the country.
Tau taking it slow
Chance says Tau, despite calls for transparency and action, appears to be dragging his feet.
"The licence is worth at least R60bn in revenue over its 8-year period, making it one of the most lucrative public contracts. An opaque internal investigation, which excludes the public, is simply not good enough.
"Given the apparent conflict of interest of the Deputy President’s sister-in-law holding a stake in the licensee, it is imperative that the Minister act immediately.
We cannot risk having yet another cliff-edge, where the operations of the Lotto are placed in jeopardy by the Minister and the Department’s inaction," Chance says.
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