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The DA welcomes the reforms proposed in the Lotteries Policy Review discussion document published by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). We note the inclusion in the document of many DA proposed interventions and we will participate fully in the consultation process to ensure the reformation of the National Lotteries Board (NLB). We will take the proposals to NGO’s and community organisations across the country to ensure that their views and concerns on how the NLB has been run are well addressed in the final document.

Since its inception in 1998, the NLB has been mired by problems of inefficiency, accusations of bias, and dodgy grants to politically aligned organisations. All the while many community organisations which provide crucial services have suffered, with many closing their doors.

In January of this year, the DA launched its plan to reform the NLB and the way it distributes funds. In this plan, we outlined proposals to address the inefficiency and lack of accountability that has prevented the NLB from meeting the needs of the most needy and vulnerable South Africans.

We are therefore pleased to see that the recently published Lotteries Policy Review discussion document by the DTI contains many key DA proposals including:

• Persons appointed to Distribution Agencies should be appointed based on skills, expertise and availability to serve on a full-time basis;
• the Distributing Agencies must account operationally to the NLB on funds distributed from the NLDTF;
• persons who agree to be appointed as Distributing Agency members should have no interest in any organisation that benefits from the lottery funds;
• the creation of an internal review mechanism to create an avenue for applicants to appeal decisions made by the Distributing Agencies;
• the National Lotteries Board should increase its monitoring and impact assessment capacity to conduct inspections and spot checks to ensure funds are used for intended purposes;
• turnaround times should be attached to grant submissions to provide applicants with proper waiting periods after submitting an application;
• incomplete or erroneous applications should, within a reasonable period, be informed of this fact by the NLB and allowed to resubmit a complete application and;
• applications from organisations should be accepted throughout the year.

We do however remain concerned that the document recommends that the Minister should still be responsible for appointing members of the Distributions Agencies. We will continue to insist that new board members should be appointed free from political interference and based on their knowledge of the NGO sector.

The DA will also seek assurances regarding the independence of the proposed creation of an internal review mechanism headed by the board to mediate adjudication appeals.

It is crucial that this review process is taken seriously by all NGO’s, community organisations, public benefit organisations and other interested parties across South Africa. We have fought too long for this review to let it slip by. I will therefore do everything necessary to ensure that the views of all of these organisations are reflected in the final document. I also encourage all of them to engage with the process as actively as possible.

The NLB must finally become a force for social elevation, rather than an empty vessel.