DA slams Lotto's 'fat cats'

Cape Town - Official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) trade spokesperson Pierre Rabie on Monday sent a letter to the National Lotteries Board asking it to detail the process which led to the selection of the Gidani consortium as the preferred bidder to administer the national lottery.

The incumbent Uthingo's contract expires next year.

This follows a Sunday Times report that Gidani consortium consisted of amongst others ruling African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee members Cyril Rampahosa, Max Sisulu and Chris Nissen.

Other shareholders included Independent Electoral Commission chairperson Brigalia Bam, and deputy Arts and Culture Minister Ntombazana Botha.

Rabie, a member of parliament, noted that the consortium was expected to make a profit of more than R40m annually from the lotto.

Rabie asked: "What does Gidani bring to the table, other than its list of well connected ANC fat-cats? I also ask for a list of other bidders as well as the reasons why they were not picked.

"The South African public are sick and tired of watching already rich and already empowered members of the ANC elite getting richer and re-empowered, while millions of people live in abject poverty without any idea how to feed themselves or their loved ones, with unemployment rates of around 40%. "The ANC is reportedly in the process of developing a new policy to regulate the business involvement of its members; the party would be well advised to put a stop to the greed of its colleagues."