The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a preservation order from the Special Tribunal to interdict a R500 000 pension payout to former National Lotteries Commission (NLC) official Sibonelo Vilakazi. Vilakazi, who previously served as a client liaison officer at the NLC’s KwaZulu-Natal branch, is under investigation for allegedly exploiting his position to benefit his spouse financially. According to the SIU, the preservation order forms part of an investigation which found that Vilakazi enabled his spouse, Nosipho Zanele Zuma, to receive 48 payments totalling R31.2 million from entities that had benefited from NLC grants.
The funds were allegedly channelled through Zuma’s company, ZZET Enterprises, and used to purchase luxury vehicles and properties, including two Toyota Quantums, a Toyota Hilux and two immovable properties. A report by the Financial Intelligence Centre found that ZZET Enterprises received electronic fund transfer payments amounting to approximately R32.2 million from several care centres and football clubs. The SIU said its investigation revealed that more than 400 care centres and football clubs made payments to accounts linked to Vilakazi and Zuma between 2019 and 2023, using funds originally received from the NLC.
Previously, the SIU obtained a court order to freeze about R2.4 million held in four bank accounts linked to the pair. “The SIU will continue to pursue officials who resign or are dismissed in the face of an investigation by freezing their pension benefits and instituting civil litigation to recover financial losses suffered by State institutions,” the unit said.
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