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The National Lotteries’ Board (NLB) has distributed more than R 18 billion to good causes over the 15 years of its existence. This was announced by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies. Minister Davies was speaking in Cape Town, at the official launch of all the National Lotteries Board (NLB) Funded Projects in the Western Cape Province. He added that since April 2013, more R253 million has been allocated to projects in the Western Cape Province.

The theme of the launch was “turning the impossible into possible through NLB funding” and thus contributing to the National Development Plan priorities of poverty alleviation and job creation. The main aim of the launch was to further entrench the NLB’s commitment to work closely with all stakeholders including prospective and current beneficiaries.

Minister Davies stated that the Lotteries Amendment Bill that President Zuma signed into Law last year December will go a long way in addressing amongst others the challenges that have been facing the Distributing Agencies (DAs’). These challenges include accountability, conflict of interest, and lack of quorums in the distribution agencies which affects the efficiency of the distribution agencies.

“To address this we will appoint fulltime distribution agencies, part-time distribution agencies we discovered do not work. People will be appointed base on skills and expertise in the different categories. This will further ensure that conflict of interest is eliminated as members will now have to renounce their interests in organisations that will potentially apply for lottery funding,” indicated Minister Davies.

Minister Davies highlighted that the Lotteries Amendment Act will promote the objectives of the developmental state and the integrity of the DA’s.

“With this Act, we want to continue to provide lotteries funds on criteria which meet important developmental national objectives which support charities that do good work amongst low income people. We want to continue to ensure that is the case and that the credibility and integrity of the Distributing Agencies are in place,” he emphasised.

As the Catalyst for Social Upliftment, the National Lotteries’ Board (NLB) has identified the need to profile and communicate the successes of all NLB funded projects in the Western Cape to the broader South African community, particularly stakeholders such as potential beneficiaries, NGOs and social development organisations.

Minister Davies also handed over signed grant agreements and symbolic cheques to the value of R 32 million, to recently adjudicated beneficiaries.