The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) signed off on its 2015 resolutions at the close of the fourth NLC Indaba, in Boksburg, on Friday, last week. Some of the key themes looked at during this three-day event were the eradication of illegal lotteries, moving towards social entrepreneurship and increased brand awareness.
Good news for those wanting to apply for funding is that the NLC has committed to improve the turn-around time on applications and, especially, the communication to failed applicants so that they can lodge an appeal timeously. Applicants will also in future be able to apply online, which will speed things up and assist the NLC to track applications in a fair, ethical, transparent and professional manner.
Importantly, the NLC will also increase its efforts in the monitoring of funded projects and create a better awareness of the impact funding has on communities.
NLC Commissioner, Charlotte Mampane, said the annual Indaba acts as a platform for sharing challenges and ideas for improved service delivery to beneficiaries of NLC funding. “The resolutions adopted last week are directly in line with this. Our focus is on improvement – of communication, of monitoring, of regulation and of processes.”
She explains that technology will be the biggest enabler of this as they link beneficiaries and their services with each other and the NLC through social media and similar platforms. It will be a knowledge-based hub for stakeholders to employ and learn from the skills and expertise of others.
In a bid to remove the negative impact of illegal lotteries, the NLC will strengthen partnerships with its stakeholders, including the South African Police Service, in order to improve regulation and educate people about the Lotteries Amendment Act. The conclusion of the Indaba coincided with the arrest of suspected operators of the illegal lottery Fahfee in Bramley, Johannesburg.
It was also agreed that the general public needs to be made more aware of the lottery and the benefits of playing responsibly. “A lot of people still don’t realise that when they buy a Lotto ticket, they’re supporting a good cause. We have therefore resolved to improve our marketing, in partnership with the national operator, Ithuba, and better communicate the important link between the money we make from ticket sales and the funding of good causes,” Mampane said.
In a drive towards social entrepreneurship, the NLC resolved to help its beneficiaries improve the use of their resources and skills so that they are able to support themselves and even apply for alternative forms of funding.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) was established in terms of the Lotteries Amendment Act (No 32 of 2013) to regulate the National Lottery as well as other lotteries, including society lotteries to raise funds and promotional competitions. The NLC evolved out of the National Lotteries Board, established in terms of the Lotteries Act No 57 of 1997. The National Lotteries Commission was launched in June 2015. Other responsibilities of the Commission include advising the Minister of Trade and Industry on policy matters relating to the National Lottery and other lotteries. NLC members are also trustees of the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF), into which National Lottery proceeds that are intended for allocation to good causes are deposited. The NLC does not adjudicate applications for funding or make allocations to organisations. This is done by committees known as distributing agencies which are also appointed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, in conjunction with other relevant Ministers, after a process of public nomination. The NLC provides administrative support to the distributing agencies.