Barney Pityana, the chairperson of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), has resigned, leaving two years remaining in his five-year term.
Pityana communicated his decision to Trade, Industry, and Competition (TIC) Minister Parks Tau via letter, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The reasons for his resignation remain unclear, but he had previously mentioned his intention to step down to colleagues at the NLC.
At 80 years old, Pityana was appointed in September 2022 after a lengthy and contentious political and legal battle that lasted nearly two years.
He took charge of the NLC during a tumultuous time marked by serious allegations of corruption involving former board members and executives.
Under Pityana’s leadership, alongside Commissioner Jodi Scholtz—who joined a few months later—the NLC has stabilized and implemented measures to combat corruption.
However, the organization continues to face challenges in restoring its reputation after years of mismanagement, especially following the introduction of proactive funding in 2016.
This funding model allowed the NLC to identify and support projects without requiring grant applications, which unfortunately became a focal point for corruption.
Earlier this year, the Special Investigating Unit reported to Parliament that it was investigating questionable projects worth at least R2 billion, many of which were funded proactively.
Pityana’s appointment followed a controversial process to replace Alfred Nevhutanda, the previous chairperson, who faced scandals.
The position was advertised in the Government Gazette on September 4, 2020, with an intended start date of December 1, 2020.
Although NLC board chairs can serve a maximum of ten years, Nevhutanda managed to extend his term by one year after a dispute with former TIC Minister Ebrahim Patel.
The selection process for Pityana’s position faced legal challenges and significant tension between the outgoing board and Patel, leading to a breakdown in communication.
Patel later stated he had directed lawyers to terminate the old board’s term due to poor governance.
However, he allowed three remaining board members to complete their terms and appointed four new members for a year to address corruption issues.
Ultimately, Parliament approved a shortlist of candidates, including Pityana, Terry Tselane (a former deputy chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission), and Muthuhadini Madzivhandila, who had passed away.
A parliamentary legal advisor presented two options: add a third name or restart the selection process. The committee chose to submit a revised shortlist, which included Pityana, leading to his appointment.
As of now, Kaamil Alli, spokesperson for Minister Tau, has not responded to inquiries regarding Pityana’s resignation
