Shredded documents mystery at Gambling Board offices

FIVE boxes of shredded documents have been found at the National Gambling Board, adding fuel to claims of major corruption and maladministration at the body.

FIVE boxes of shredded documents have been found at the National Gambling Board, adding fuel to claims of major corruption and maladministration at the body.

Last month, the trade and industry minister mysteriously suspended the board, later indicating that this was because of a questionable R58-million lease deal and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act rules relating to overdrafts.

It later emerged that a whistleblower had made claims of corruption, intimidation and theft of evidence. The board has been placed under administration while a forensic audit into its affairs is conducted.

DA MP Dean McPherson said he and trade and industry committee member Giordin Hill-Lewis inspected the premises last week. The R315000 a month premises are too big for the board's needs, and the cost per square metre is R292, more than double the industry standard of R120-R150 a square metre for similar premises. But instead of the "J acuzzis and gold-plated taps" they expected to see, they found five boxes of shredded documents.

McPherson said that, having inspected what was left of the documents, it was clear they were the minutes of meetings. He believes Gambling Board staff shredded documents relating to 40 special meetings, which had been highlighted on parliamentary television.

The National Gambling Board oversees an industry with gross revenue of R21-billion this year. It has a budget of about R30-million, but reported a net loss of more than R4-million last year. Two-thirds of the budget is spent on a small staff complement. Liabilities exceeded assets by more than R8-million, and the auditor-general expressed reservations about its ability to continue as a going concern.

Also of concern were an overdraft that had not been signed off by the minister of finance and more than R1-million in overseas travel.

A slew of top staff, including newly appointed CEO Themba Dlamini, quit in the past year.

Department of Trade and Industry spokesman Sidwell Medupi did not answer questions on the shredding of documents, saying only that a forensic investigation was under way.