Latest news with #R4.4m
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Former administrators flagged for 'siphoning' Lotto's R4.4m from NGO
Three former administrators of a Limpopo NGO and a person only known as 'Dineo' have been implicated in allegedly siphoning R4.4m from the organisation through unauthorised withdrawals. This was disclosed in a forensic report compiled by Black Hawk Private and Forensic Investigation and Risk Solutions into the alleged abuse of funds at Hlahlolanang Health in Sekhukhune. According to the report, two of the former administrators allegedly acted as sole signatories of the NGO's bank accounts and used their positions to allegedly facilitate payments between themselves and the then chairperson. There is clear evidence of deliberate financial misconduct, manipulation of signatory powers, systematic concealment of income and expenditure Papi Jonathan Lebese, forensic team investigator The funds were donated by the National Lottery Commission (NLC), Marula Platinum Mine and department of social development and were allegedly diverted into the four people's personal accounts between April 2021 and March 2023 through irregular withdrawals, misrepresentation of signatories and staged benefit-sharing schemes. According to the report, seven amounts totalling R4.4m were siphoned between April 2021 and March 2023, with the last amount withdrawn amounting to R3.3m. It said a R101,345 donation landed in the NGO's account on April 20 2021, and shortly thereafter R62,000 was split among the four individuals: R15,000 each to two of them and R16,000 each to the other two. A similar pattern followed after R316,740 was deposited in September 2021, with each receiving between R50,000 and R70,000 in transfers with no legitimate justification recorded. The investigation further found that in March 2022, after the NGO received R633,444, R450,000 was again allocated to three of them. The records indicate there was no authorisation from the board, and no expenditure reports or procurement documentation was filed. The forensic team, led by investigator Papi Jonathan Lebese, found that signatory access to the NGO's bank accounts was altered without the board's knowledge. These unauthorised changes allegedly enabled two of the former administrators to approve transactions without oversight. 'There is clear evidence of deliberate financial misconduct, manipulation of signatory powers, systematic concealment of income and expenditure. These actions reflect gross violations of the law and the NGO's constitution, warranting immediate criminal, civil, and disciplinary action,' said Lebese. The report recommends that the matter be referred to the Hawks, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the National Prosecuting Authority for criminal investigation. We're no longer receiving funding or support, and beneficiaries have been left in the dark. Emily Shilakoe, part of the NGO 'We have identified significant financial irregularities involving the misappropriation of donor funds and unauthorised changes to bank signatories. Given the complexity and scale of the suspected fraud, we recommend the involvement of the SIU to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit and assist with recovery processed,' Lebese said in the report. Investigators also flagged the need to trace the funds using banking subpoenas and to recover the misappropriated money through civil litigation. Meanwhile, the charges brought forward for the disciplinary hearing and internal resolution are: gross dishonesty for misappropriating NGO funds; fraud through false documentation and personal enrichment; breach of trust by bypassing board processes; insubordination; negligence in handling donor money; unauthorised access to organisational resources such as bank accounts; and failure to disclose conflicts of interest while occupying managerial roles. Emily Shilakoe, who's part of the NGO, said programmes have collapsed allegedly because of the mismanagement. 'The worst part is the impact on the ground,' she said. 'Hlahlolanang runs crucial HIV/Aids programmes, including voluntary counselling and testing, with trained counsellors who used to receive stipends from Lotto and the department of health. But once the funds started being misused, those payments stopped, and the department and the commission refused to send more money because there were no progress reports coming in. So the programmes collapsed. 'We're no longer receiving funding or support, and beneficiaries have been left in the dark.'
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The Citizen
19-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Community solidarity in full display at Jona Vaughan Home [Pics]
THE Jona Vaughan Home for the Handicapped in Amanzimtoti has enjoyed a facelift and received help for its water and electricity woes after the community took time on June 7 to sweep, mop, mow, and repair the home. Charmaine Maas of the Jona Vaughan Parents Association said the community, organisations and companies pledged their time, energy and resources to brighten up the home. Also read: Jona Vaughan's closure rumours denied despite hardships 'We put out an appeal to the community through our Friends of Jona Vaughan Facebook page. We had volunteers come in, we had churches and a rehabilitation centre approach us to assist, as well as several companies who have brought in generators to keep us up and running and Jojo tanks to keep our residents hydrated and hygienic. Everyone that attended has given up their time to do electrical work, maintenance, plumbing, cleaning and so on. Today was basically a voluntary work party to get everything cleaned out and tidy,' said Maas. The gutters were cleaned, the grass was cut, and debris was removed. Each of the cottages and bathrooms was high-pressure washed and sterilised while broken wheelchairs and walkers were repaired, laundry was done, and chemical supplies were restocked. Youth in attendance entertained the residents while they waited to get back to their rooms. 'We did our best to bring the home back to its former glory, and to make things more comfortable and homey for the residents,' she added. René Matthews, of the Kingsburgh Lions Club, along with her team, were among the many who put in the time and effort at the home. She painted a picture of the way the home appeared, 'The home looked abandoned and it was very sad to see the place looking chaotic all over, inside and out. There did not appear to be any maintenance done for a long time. In the linen room, you could not see the floor as bin bags and boxes were piled up, without any systems in place to maintain order. It begs the question what staff members, some of whom worked there for over a decade, are doing that the place looks so dirty and neglected.' On June 3, Maas said that the municipality cut the electricity supply as the electricity bill is in deficit of R4.4m and Durban and Coastal Mental Health, the body under which the Jona Vaughan Home operates, do not have the funds to pay the bill. 'They came to cut the water on June 7, but we managed to persuade them to give us some grace, but again, there is no money to pay the water bill. The community have stepped in to give us some generators so that we can have power for around four hours a day. This means that we can't keep any food on site and the medication that needs to be stored in the cold rooms and in the fridges can't be stored appropriately. People from around the neighbourhood are assisting us in storing the food. So that is a health hazard for the residents. Another hazard comes in the form of lacking electricity. With no lights, the residents can fall and get injured. We can't bathe them with hot water as well, which is worrisome for their hygiene.' How you can help: With the home in desperate need of funding, and the subsidies Durban and Coastal Mental Health receives from government not being enough to sustain the home, there is a shortfall every month. You can donate to the organisation's back-a-buddy with the following link: Alternatively, donate to: Jona Vaughan Parents Association Bank Name: Nedbank Branch Code: 130826 Account number: 1304130959 Consider donating the following food items: Minced meat (x2 5kg packs) Jungle Oats (8kg bag) Bread (residents need 22 loaves a day) Macaroni (14kg) Dhall (10kg) Lentils (10kg) Soya mince (x10 400g packs without chillies) Smaller quantities are more than welcomed as well, as any contribution will make a world of difference in the lives of the residents. For more South Coast Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox. Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
