Presley Chweneyagae implicated in R15m lottery money scandal — reports

15 December 2022 - 09:37
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Presley Chweneyagae has been embroiled in a money scandal.
Presley Chweneyagae has been embroiled in a money scandal.
Image: Oupa Bopape

Presley Chweneyagae has been implicated in alleged misuse of National Lotteries Commission (NLC) funding.

GroundUp investigative journalist Raymond Joseph's investigation into the NLC found Chweneyagae had allegedly benefited from his close relationship with some members of the commission's former executive and board through a R15m grant.

At the centre of the claims is R67.5 million received by the Southern African Youth Movement (SAYM) for three projects including a drug rehabilitation centre in Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, an old age home in Botshabelo in the Free State and a musical event called Taking Back the Future.

Chweneyagae was the co-writer and co-director of the musical billed to take place in three provinces in 2017. However, there is little evidence beyond pictures from the opening night that the events took place at all.

In addition, the actor's organisation, the Presley Chweneyagae Foundation, was included in branding on advertisements related to the project.

Attempts by TshisaLIVE to get additional comment from Chweneyagae were unsuccessful at the time of publishing this article. Any update will be included if received.

It came as the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) obtained a high court preservation order to freeze nine luxury properties in Gauteng, a BMW 420i and two Ocean Basket franchises on the East Rand linked to his co-star Terry Pheto.

Pheto denied fraud allegations levelled against her.

“I deny any involvement in the alleged scheme that has been reported on. I also had no prior knowledge of an application to obtain a preservation order against me and have no sight of this order,” she wrote.

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