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A member of the dti group
Press Statement
For immediate release
29 July 2015
NLBacquires added responsibilities and a new name
The National Lotteries Board (NLB) has announced that, subsequent to an Act of Parliament, it will henceforth be known as the National Lotteries Commission (NLC). The new name has been revealed at a formal launch event in Benoni by Charlotte Mampane, CEO of the NLB, who has assumed the position of NLC Commissioner.
The transition follows the amendment of the Lotteries Act, which was signed into law by President Jacob Zuma in December 2013. The Act was proclaimed in February 2015, and on
16 April 2015 the amendments to the regulations for the NLC were gazetted.
Mampane says the mandate of the NLC will remain largely the same as that of its predecessor, but that the amended Act does grant added responsibilities and powers to enable the organisation to effectively deliver services to the public.
“The NLC in its new form will continue with its dual mandate to (1)regulate the national lotteries, society lotteries illegal and other lotteries, promotion of competitions as well as to (2) distribute funds for good causes, with almost negligible operational reengineering to bring about the NLC’s new identity in line with the prescriptions of the Act,” says Mampane.
While the NLC is known for its role as a catalyst for social upliftment, it is the other leg of its mandate of regulating lotteries that is less well-known.Mampane says part of the rationale for this adjustment was specifically to emphasise this key responsibility of the NLC.
“The Commission will also have the legal mandate to step in and operate the National Lottery should the incumbentservice provider fail to meet its obligations,” she adds.“I would like to emphasise that this legal mandate is given to the NLC to operate the National Lottery under extreme circumstances and should not be construed as suggesting that the recent appointment of Ithuba as the National Lottery operator is in anyway under review,nor that the NLC has lost confidence in Ithuba’s ability to operate the National Lottery.”
Mampane says the NLC will implement robust monitoring and evaluation of the projects it fundsto ensure that scarce resources are allocated to priority projects thatyield maximum impact in uplifting communities across the country.
“I would like to reassure the public that the entire process of emphasising certain areas of the NLC’s mandate, as well as the rebranding of the organisation, will be funded from the NLC’s normal operating budget,” she concludes. “This process will not in anyway prejudice beneficiaries of the NLC’s grant funding system.”
Ends.
For additional information or to schedule an interview please contact Ms Odaho Sengani: Senior Communication Officer on 012432 1506/ 083 7536968