South Africa’s lottery operator Ithuba is currently embroiled in controversy over its televised donation of COVID-19 masks to the department of health in 2020.
The lottery operator had, in May 2020, donated 100,000 to the department of health (DoH) and the South African Police Service (SAPS). However, associates of former health minister Zweli Mkhize and his son, Dedani, had reportedly pocketed millions from the donation.
The former minister and the police affairs minister were present at the time the donation was made, and both thanked the company for the gesture. The announcement of the donation was made by no other than Seth Phalatse, Ithuba’s chairperson.
But that’s not all. Some of those funds were reportedly laundered through companies owned by the former minister’s son. The investigation into the case has got records, including bank records, text messages and other documents.
However, Ithuba has claimed innocence in the whole drama, insisting it has done nothing wrong. However, it failed to answer questions as to how it was able to identify Spin Wizards as a supplier of the masks. Instead, it merely made generalizations that only provoked further questions.
It was soon revealed that Spin Wizards has links to Mateta Projects, which funnels looted funds to the Mkhize family.
