Johannesburg – Authorities probing the theft of lotteries funds have placed under preservation several properties including one linked to kwaito star Arthur Mafokate’s South African Arts and Development Association (SAADA).
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) revealed on Friday that they have obtained a preservation order from the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria, to freeze three luxury properties.
The properties include a plot, and a portion of a farm that has been linked to the siphoning of lottery grant funding meant for community development projects.
The SIU investigations in the affairs of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) have revealed that five non-profit organisations (NPO) received grant funding of approximately R56,3 million for community development projects in South Africa.
The NPOs are Taung Cultural Music and Arts Expo, South African Art and Development Association (SAADA), Dinosys, Matieni Community Centre, and Zibsicraft (Pty) Ltd.
The SIU said investigations reveal these NPOs bought properties with money they got from the NLC under the auspices of grant funding.
“The properties, therefore, constitute proceeds of unlawful activities hence the application for a preservation order pending the final determination of the application for final forfeiture,” explained SIU Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
The properties placed under a preservation order granted by the High Court granted on 21 December 2022, pending the final determination of the application for final forfeiture, include:
- SAADA represented by Arthur Mafokate (Musician and director of SAADA) Preservation: Luxury property in Midrand
- Ramulifho Family Trust represented by Lesley Ramulifho (Former NLC legal representative and Trustee Preservation: Luxury property in Cape Town
- BDH Group represented by William Elias Huma (Former NCL board member) Preservation: Portion of a farm in Rustenburg
- Alfred Ntshengedzeni Nevhutanda and Tshilidzi Rachel Nevhutanda (Former NLC board chairman and his wife) Preservation: A plot in Pretoria
- Marang Family Trust represented by Tsietsi Maselwa (Head of NLC Legal Division) Preservation: Luxury property in Pretoria are prohibited and restraint from selling, disposing of, leasing, transferring, donating, or dealing in any manner whatsoever with respect to the immovable properties.
The SIU was, in terms of Proclamation R32 of 2020, authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of NLC, and the conduct of officials, and to recover any financial losses suffered by the State.
The allegations against musician and music producer Mafokate first surfaced in 2019.
