The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has reached a settlement agreement with actress and media personality Minenhle “Minnie” Dlamini as part of its ongoing investigation into the misappropriation of National Lotteries Commission (NLC) funds.
Dlamini was identified as one of the beneficiaries of funds irregularly received from the Mshandukani Foundation, a non-profit organisation currently under investigation for alleged abuse of NLC grant funding.
R50,000 to Be Repaid
According to the SIU, Dlamini has agreed to repay R50,000, which was intended to support the 2016 Rio Olympic Games Roadshow.
The SIU confirmed that the repayment forms part of a civil settlement and does not amount to an admission of criminal wrongdoing.
Millions Paid to Mshandukani Foundation
The Mshandukani Foundation is one of several NPOs under scrutiny in the wide-ranging NLC probe. Investigators revealed that the organisation received nearly R25 million in funding from the National Lotteries Commission.
Authorities allege that portions of these funds were diverted away from their intended public benefit purposes.
Funds to Be Returned to NLC
The SIU said all recovered money will be returned to the National Lotteries Commission, where it will be redistributed to lawful beneficiaries in line with the Commission’s mandate.
The investigation into other individuals and entities linked to the Mshandukani Foundation and NLC funding continues.
Ongoing NLC Cleanup Effort
The SIU’s National Lotteries investigation has already resulted in multiple recoveries, asset forfeitures, and civil claims as the state attempts to claw back millions of rands lost through corruption and maladministration.
Officials have reiterated that beneficiaries who received irregular funding may be pursued for repayment, regardless of their public profile.
