National Lotteries Commission (NLC) chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda will bus journalists from various media houses to Northern Cape for a site inspection of the three projects they have funded.

The projects, which they funded to the tune of R60m, include a drug rehabilitation centre, old-age home and a library and museum meant to celebrate the life of isanusi Credo Mutwa.

This follows media reports that the projects were plagued by shoddy construction work and that companies linked to lotteries commission COO Phillemon Letwaba were awarded the tender to do the project.

"I'm inviting journalists from media houses to go and do [a] site inspection and write a story from an observer's point of view this week," Nevhutanda said.

He has also indicated that although the board was satisfied with the internal processes in the funding of these projects, they will investigate allegations of a conflict of interests involving staff members.

"I assure the minister [of economic development Ebrahim Patel] and the South African citizens that the NLC remains committed to clean governance and all allegations of misuse of funds by the beneficiaries are taken serious and investigated thoroughly," Nevhutanda said.

NLC spokesperson Ndivhuwo Khangale said that the reports were designed to shift the organisation's focus away from funding rural-based nonprofit organisations.

"The NLC remains unapologetic about its biased approach towards funding rural areas where poverty, unemployment and inequality are affecting black South Africans.

"The NLC therefore wishes to indicate that it will continue to fund projects that are in these rural areas and cannot be restricted by journalists whose issue is distance," added Nevhutanda.