A group of aggrieved whistle-blowers who lifted the lid on widespread corruption at the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) have condemned its decision not to financially compensate them, saying this had all along been the expectation. They said they rejected “with the contempt it deserves the degrading offer” of nonfinancial reparation by the NLC, which offered neither recognition nor justice. A statement issued on Friday by social worker John Clarke, the spokesperson for a group of whistle-blowers, stressed that financial compensation was essential to restore livelihoods destroyed as a result of their whistle-blowing.
They expected financial compensation as had been given to Sars whistle-blowers. The decision by the NLC not to financially compensate whistleblowers contradicts trade, industry & competition minister Parks Tau statement in a written response to a parliamentary question earlier this year that R20m had been ringfenced for individual reparations to be paid for out of the NLC’s surplus. It was the minister who instructed the NLC to set up a reparations process.
In a media statement, the NLC said it had concluded its “comprehensive reparative measures process” and had adopted a distinctly pastoral, non-financial model. It had prioritised restoration overcompensation, healing over financial settlement and “fairness, dignity and responsible stewardship of public funds”. NLC commissioner Jodie Scholtz said the NLC “wanted to ensure that those who stood up for integrity were acknowledged and supported, while safeguarding public resources and upholding the law.
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This process embodies fairness, transparency and healing — not only for individuals, but also for the communities we serve.” Reparative interventions would include wellness and psychosocial support initiatives; educational sponsorships for personal and professional development; reintegration and career reconstruction programmes. These would be awarded only after full and final settlement agreements had been signed. Whistle-blowers who were not staff members are not included in the settlement.
DA spokesperson on trade, industry and competition Toby Chance, who has lobbied hard for the payment of reparations to whistle-blowers, expressed dismay at the NLC’s approach and said he would not rest until they had been financially compensated. He said the NLC’s decision was an about-turn on its commitment to pay reparations to whistle-blowers who came forward with information on years of corruption by board members, executives, staff and collusive outsiders in the awarding of grants by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).
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