Conflict of interest as Hawks’ Spokesperson receives R3 million from the NLC

13 October 2020

In July 2020, the Limpopo Mirror reported that the Hangwani Mulaudzi Foundation which was founded in 2017 by Hawks Spokesperson, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, received R3 million from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) to establish a sports centre for the community of Mashamba in Limpopo.

The publication stated “that the sport centre, which would comprise a block of toilets, an office and a change room facility, a borehole with running taps, and fencing, would be handed to the community in three months’ time”.

The DA has also seen an internal NLC document which confirms the name of the beneficiary , the amount disbursed and the date of payment to this organisation.

While the DA is supportive of initiatives that aim to develop our rural towns and villages, one has to question the fact that a senior member of the Hawks has received such funding from the NLC.

This is because the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has recently handed over evidence related to Denzhe Primary Care scandal to the Hawks to investigate.

There is no doubt that this is a clear conflict of interest which has the potential to derail the entire investigation into large-scale looting at the NLC.

Therefore, the DA will be submitting parliamentary questions to both Ministers Ebrahim Patel and Bheki Cele to ascertain whether or not they were aware of the disbursement of funds at the time and whether or not they deem it to be a conflict of interest.

Issued by Mat Cuthbert, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, 13 October 2020