BOSA demands transparency in lottery bid
Two members of the bid evaluation committee are allegedly connected to Gold Rush Consortium.
South Africa.- As the suspense and drama over the next South African national lottery operator appeared to be nearing the end, new developments are sparking fresh controversy.
Reports are circulating that the Gold Rush Consortium has been selected as the preferred bidder for the multi-billion Rand contract, and this news is raising eyebrows among stakeholders.
Following the latest revelation, Build One South Africa (BOSA) is demanding full transparency into how the contract was awarded.
The political party notes that it had submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application seeking the names of adjudication panel members, consultants and advisors involved in the bid evaluation process.
According to BOSA, public records indicate potential conflicts of interest, with at least two members of the bid evaluation committee, Thiran Marimuthu and Anne-Marie Pooley, having ties to the consortium.
Marimuthu was alleged to have attended the consortium’s 25th-anniversary celebration, while BOSA claims that Pooley holds a financial stake as the sole director of a venue with Gold Rush gaming machines.
Given these links and the consortium’s political ties, BOSA suggests that the decision to award the bid to Gold Rush may not be impartial and warrants increased scrutiny.
BOSA vows to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. It is also urging Parks Tau, the minister of trade, industry and competition, to publish the full list of adjudicators and consultants, disclose declarations of interest, and report to parliament on bid evaluation and scoring.
The Gold Rush consortium is a gaming group led by KwaZulu-Natal business tycoons Moses Tembe and Sandile Zungu.
If this controversy is not nipped in the bud, it could lead to more legal challenges for Tau, who was earlier dragged to court by a lottery bidder claiming the process was being delayed to favour Ithuba, the current operator.
