New gambling board appointed

Johannesburg - New members have been appointed to Gauteng's Gambling Board (GGB), the province announced on Friday.

Lawyer Bally Chuene was appointed board chairperson and former safety and security minister Sydney Mufamadi his deputy.

Other members are:

- former Eastern Cape gambling and betting board chairperson Sipho Luyolo Majombozi;

- former Gauteng deputy director general Lentswe Mokgatle;

- and former chairperson of Constitutional Hill Johnny Sexwale;

- former Premier Soccer League CEO attorney Zola Majavu;

- former Nedcor financial officer Shaila Hari; and

- chairperson of Johannesburg's local committee for liquor licensing Franscina Jacoba van der Westhuizen.

Economic development MEC Nkosiphendule Kolisile immediately assigned deadlines for future projects.

"The board is expected to expedite and finalise the forensic audit into the operations and management of the entity by the end of April 2013," said the MEC's spokesperson Phindile Kunene.

"[They are] faced with the tasks to review the entity's management structure [and] finalise the appointment of a chief executive officer, as well as speedily attend to licence applications."

Last year, a high court ruling allowed the termination of the GGB.

This was after the board members instituted legal action against then economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu.

Mahlangu terminated their membership on January 23, 2012, pending a decision by the province's executive council.

"The MEC took [a] decision to relocate all the department's agencies to the city centre, where they could all be under one roof," Mahlangu said at the time.

The GGB was then dissolved for "failing to follow the order".