Former NLC Company Secretary Resigns Amid Corruption Allegations
Nompumelelo Nene, the suspended company secretary of South Africa’s National Lotteries Commission (NLC), has resigned after facing 145 disciplinary charges. She had remained on full pay since her suspension in November 2022, earning nearly R6 million during that time. Her resignation, effective 28 February, comes after multiple failed legal attempts to halt disciplinary proceedings.
Serious Allegations and Legal Battles
Nene faced numerous charges, including failing to uphold NLC’s financial integrity, misusing organizational assets, and violating procurement regulations.
The charges also included alleged efforts to delete grant beneficiary records, which investigators claim were an attempt to cover up corruption linked to misallocated lottery funds.
One of the most serious accusations was her alleged instruction to the NLC’s chief information officer to erase key funding records.
Investigators found that critical documents related to proactive funding had disappeared, potentially to hide fraudulent multimillion-rand lottery grants.
Financial Misconduct and Irregular Appointments
Nene was accused of approving questionable appointments and financial decisions, including:
- Hiring Mabotle Mokwebo, whose associates later received NLC contracts.
- Recommending service providers, such as MSG Group, which was paid R1.7 million for a Women’s Day event that never occurred.
- Failing to disclose ties to Rebotile Malomane, the wife of former NLC COO Philemon Letwaba, who benefited from lottery funding.
- Approving irregular payments exceeding R26 million to Neo Solutions.
- Facilitating NLC advertising payments, including R24.7 million spent on Sunday World between 2020 and 2022.
Failed Attempts to Block Investigations
Nene fought multiple legal battles to stop disciplinary proceedings and overturn adverse findings against her. She sought to challenge the Auditor-General’s reports implicating her in unauthorized expenditure on media, consultants, and auditors.
In March 2023, a court dismissed her urgent application to halt her disciplinary hearing, ruling it was without merit. The judge ordered her to pay punitive costs for wasting judicial resources. In April, the same judge held Nene personally accountable for legal costs.
Later in November 2024, she unsuccessfully attempted to force government agencies to release documents to challenge findings of irregular spending under her tenure. The court dismissed her request, calling it a “fishing expedition.”
Resignation Amid Controversy
Nene’s resignation letter claimed her suspension was a form of constructive dismissal and a breach of contract. However, the NLC denied the accusation, stating that she resigned to avoid a likely guilty verdict in disciplinary proceedings.
With her resignation, it remains unclear whether she will continue legal action against the Auditor-General’s findings. However, her departure does not absolve her from potential further investigations or legal consequences related to her tenure at the NLC.
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