MEC appoints new NC gambling board

A NEW Northern Cape Gambling Board (NCGB) was appointed yesterday, seven months after the malfunctioning board was dissolved by the MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Mac Jack, in March.

Jack also announced that two vacant posts were filled following the resignation of two members earlier this year.

“I was convinced that the previous board was not functioning properly after the resignation of two members, which led to the remaining two members not constituting a quorum. It was therefore in the public interest to disband the board with immediate effect.”

Jack stated that the acting CEO, who was appointed as the accounting authority of the entity in the absence of the board, did not have the authority to issue, revoke, suspend, transfer, amend or remove gambling licences.

“The powers lie with the board and cannot be delegated, which resulted in a serious backlog.

“The new board is made up of trusted members of our society. They will have to hit the ground running and deal decisively with a huge backlog of gambling licence applications, which include bookmaker applications and limited pay-out machines site applications and limited pay-out machines.”

Jack indicated that illegal gambling was increasing in the Northern Cape along with a massive increase in illegal online gambling.

“This has resulted in a negative impact on tax revenue for government, while further consequences include loss of employment opportunities, loss of local economic activity and an erosion of consumer rights and protection.”

He added that the new board would be tasked with eradicating illegal gambling and gambling addiction.

New members of the NCGB: Connie Mantahli Lucia Sefo (chairperson), Neo Sybil Rakwena (deputy chairperson), Jennifer Bokwa (member), Moses Tebogo Moraladi (member), Levona Itumeleng (member) and Zamani Mathiso (member).

Additional members of the Liquor Board: Lahlu Mabula and Thabo Thobeli.