"This ridiculous spending works out to R37 000 per annual report or R255 per page. This sort of grand scale corruption has come to define the NLC in recent years, which was vigorously defended by the ANC in Parliament."

The handbook on corruption has literally been ripped up by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) after DA Parliamentary questions revealed the entity blew R2.6 million on printing 70 annual reports for 2022.

This ridiculous spending works out to R37 000 per annual report or R255 per page. This sort of grand scale corruption has come to define the NLC in recent years, which was vigorously defended by the ANC in Parliament.

The DA has sourced costing from a local company that revels this should not have cost more than R200 per booklet. The question is, how was a company allowed to rip off the NLC, inflate costings by 18 500% without any questions being asked and for so long?

It is also not known where these 70 annual reports went, if anywhere, as they can not be accounted for.

While the official responsible for this is on suspension, it is important for Trade, Industry and Competition Minister, Ebrahim Patel to reveal which company is responsible for colluding with officials in this manner. Patel must also come clean on what action (if any) has been taken against this company.

This sort of blatant theft has come to define the ANC's position on protecting the politically connected over fighting for worthy charities. From Rolls Royces, to mansions and now expensive booklets, at every chance, they chose the wrong side.

Only through the work of the DA and the media has this looting of the NCL come to light, and we will not stop until those responsible for this mess end up in prison and not in Parliament.