Cash from the Nationwide Lottery that was meant to rebuild a faculty in Limpopo, was used to purchase a R3.6 million home in a golf property in Hartbeespoort for the Commissioner of the Nationwide Lotteries Fee (NLC), GroundUp information company experiences.
The R3.6-million home in Pecanwood Property is registered within the title of the Mojakgomo Household Belief. Commisioner of the NLC, Thabang Mampane and her husband, Solomon, are each trustees of the belief, in keeping with official data. The couple and their two grownup kids are all beneficiaries of the belief.
The cash for the home was channelled via Upbrand Properties, a personal firm intently linked to the NLC’s Chief Working Officer Phillemon Letwaba and his household.
On 29 August 2016, a non-profit organisation, Simba Neighborhood Growth Basis, obtained greater than R25-million — the primary tranche of a R28.3-million grant — to rebuild Vhafamadi college, which had been gutted by hearth throughout protests the earlier 12 months. On the identical day, Simba paid R4-million to Upbrand Properties.
On the time, Johannes Letwaba, the brother of Phillemon Letwaba, then the chief monetary officer of the NLC, was the only director of Upbrand Properties.
In September Upbrand’s account was topped up by Ironbridge Travelling Company (Letwaba’s spouse, Rebotile Malomane is now a director of Ironbridge) and Shandukani Holdings, which did a few of the development work on the college.
With the account topped up, Upbrand then paid R3.6-million to Jacobs Robbertse Attorneys, the attorneys appearing within the sale of the home to Mampane. The acquisition value was paid in full and no mortgage bond was registered over the property.
The funds from Simba to Upbrand, after which to Jacobs Robbertse, are mirrored in Simba and Upbrand financial institution statements, which GroundUp has seen.
Upbrand additionally made a further fee of R269,848 to cowl switch and authorized prices. The home was registered within the title of the belief on 1 December 2016.
NLC spokesperson Ndivhuho Mafela mentioned in an emailed response to GroundUp’s questions, “The problems and transactions referred to within the inquiry are at the moment being canvassed via an investigation the Particular Investigation Unit (SIU) is conducting on the affairs of the Nationwide Lotteries Fee.
“At this stage, the NLC is not going to be commenting on media inquiries that require particulars of grants awarded between 2014 and 2020 in addition to associated transactions. That is to permit the SIU to conduct this investigation with none hindrance or prejudice.”
Mampane had not responded to questions despatched by GroundUp by the point of publication.
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