The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a preservation order from the Special Tribunal concerning two properties associated with financial resources allocated by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) to the Malusi We Sizwe Non-Profit Company (NPC).
These properties are situated in The Orchards and Soshanguve in the Gauteng province of Pretoria.
This order is connected to a R13 million grant approved by the NLC in November 2018, intended for an agricultural initiative in KwaZulu-Natal’s Zululand District Municipality.
The initiative aimed to assist nearly 1,900 individuals, particularly focusing on unemployed youth and older members of the community.
The preservation orders resulted from an investigation by the SIU that uncovered details of an internal proposal submitted by former NLC Grant Manager Marubini Ramatsekisa on 14 September 2018 for “proactive funding” for the project.
This proposal received approval on the same day from the former NLC Chief Operating Officer Philemon Letwaba. Subsequently, on 3 October 2018, Malusi We Sizwe NPC sought funding of R14,976,796.
At that time, Sinqobile Khumalo, Margaret Sithole, and Lawrence Malungwa served as directors of the organization.
The NLC Adjudication Committee granted R13 million for the project on 1 November 2018. Shortly following the grant approval and the execution of the grant agreement, Nelisiwe Mahlangu was appointed as a director of the NPC on 26 November 2018, with the existing directors resigning on the same date.
The NLC disbursed a first tranche of R7 million on 5 December 2018 and a subsequent R6 million on 20 March 2019. Before the NLC funding was received, the NPC’s bank account held only R100.
The SIU’s investigation revealed further financial transactions from the NPC account to several entities, including payments linked to real estate purchases.
These transactions included the following:
The acquisition of property in Soshanguve, Pretoria by Mahlangu on 9 April 2019 for R345,000. Transfers amounting to R5.6 million from Malusi We Sizwe NPC to Trizaflo (Pty) Ltd—an entity controlled by Wisane Mabundza—between March and November 2019.
A transfer of R2,118,338 from Trizaflo to legal counsel for the acquisition of property in Midstream Estate, Pretoria. This property was registered under Alfred Sigudhla’s name on 9 December 2019.
The SIU had previously secured a preservation order for this property in April 2025. Additionally, another property in The Orchards, Hartbeeshoek, Gauteng, was transferred into Mahlangu’s name on 1 October 2020.
Findings indicated that the properties in Soshanguve and The Orchards were acquired for the personal advantage of Mahlangu, utilizing NLC funds and not for the originally intended agricultural initiative in KwaZulu-Natal.
The purpose of the preservation orders is to prevent the sale or transfer of the properties while civil proceedings to recover the misappropriated funds are ongoing.
This action is part of the SIU’s broader investigation into corruption and mismanagement allegations related to NLC-funded projects.
The investigation operates under Proclamation 32 of 2020, issued by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The SIU has initiated civil proceedings in accordance with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 to act on the investigation’s findings.
The aim is to retrieve financial losses incurred by state institutions due to corruption or neglect, encompassing funds disbursed for services that were never delivered.
