SA Parliament interviews top contenders for NLC chairperson role
The candidates were scrutinised on their ability to restore the NLC’s credibility, challenge established interests and reform the grant distribution model.
South Africa.- The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) is one step closer to having a new Chairperson, following rigorous interviews conducted by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition with five shortlisted candidates on Tuesday, December 2.
The new chair will take over from Professor Barney Pityana and will be tasked with strengthening the NLC’s reform efforts in the wake of substantial financial irregularities.
The committee interviewed five individuals from legal, finance and governance backgrounds: Ms Judy Hermans, Ms Mpho Mosing, Adv. Nomazotsho Memani, Mr Thembinkosi Bonakele and Adv. Lufuno Nevondwe.
Mr Bonakele is a current NLC board member and a former Commissioner of the Competition Commission, bringing a focus on regulatory enforcement. Ms Hermans is a former ANC MP, while Ms Mosing brings expertise in audit and risk management, having chaired the Audit and Risk Committee for the State Diamond Trader.
Both Adv. Memani and Adv. Nevondwe are seasoned legal professionals; Nevondwe’s current role as Chairperson of the National Lotteries Participants Trust provides him with invaluable insight into lottery distribution mechanisms.
The candidates were scrutinised on their ability to restore the NLC’s credibility, challenge established interests and reform the grant distribution model. The committee, chaired by Mzwandile Masina, posed pointed questions reflecting public concern over the NLC’s qualified audit opinions and lack of accountability for financial misconduct.
The interviews represent a critical phase in rescuing the NLC from its protracted governance crisis. The organisation has struggled to recover public trust following years of alleged corruption, including the awarding of grants to non-profit organisations (NPOs) with direct links to former board members and senior staff.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has identified more than R2bn (€102.5m) in grants that are subject to investigation for corruption and maladministration. The winning candidate’s mandate will be straightforward: continue the clean-up without fear or favour and focus on core issues like enforcing accountability for financial mismanagement and achieving clean governance.
Once the committee concludes its process, the candidates will undergo vetting by the StateSecurity Agency. Following deliberations, the committee will recommend its top candidate to the National Assembly, which will then submit a final shortlist to Minister Parks Tau of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, who will make the final appointment.
