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lotta zeros but no cash

THE South African Lottery Board has failed to distribute 72percent of the R8,5billion owed to the needy, says the DA.

THE South African Lottery Board has failed to distribute 72percent of the R8,5billion owed to the needy, says the DA.

"A reply to a DA parliamentary question has revealed that despite R8,5billion being available to the board for distribution to beneficiaries in the three years from 2007 to 2009, just R2,3billion was actually paid out," party spokesperson Kobus Marais said yesterday.

While they paid out on 28percent of the cash, board members had earned "a combined salary of R7,5million" in that period,

"It is quite clear from the reply that, while those individuals on the lottery board receive huge sums of money, the board is fundamentally failing to fulfil its mandate and distribute funds to those in need."

Only R792million of the R2,1billion was paid out to beneficiaries in 2007, while R634million was paid out a year later from the R2,9billion available. This year, R948million has been paid out from the R3,3billion, Marais said.

"It is the responsibility of the board to ensure that the Lottery distributes monies available to it to those in need.

"It is quite clearly failing to do this and those responsible for this failing, including the board members, now need to account for this failure and justify the salaries they earn." - Sapa

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