The Board of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has on 16 January 2025 noted media reports following the recent announcement regarding the postponement of a decision on the award of the 4th National Lottery and Sport Pools Licence.
The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, the Honourable Parks Tau, has consulted with the NLC Board regarding the decision and the NLC is confident that the matter is being addressed. While we are hopeful there will not be a temporary halt to the sale of national lottery tickets, the NLC has a contingency plan in place to ensure funding to good causes continues.
The NLC fully understands the concerns from civil society organisations that rely on the NLC for funding, but the Board can reassure the public that the NLC has sufficient reserves to ensure the continued provision of funds to support worthy good causes.
Furthermore, the NLC wishes to inform its stakeholders that adjudication of applications under the 2023/24 Call for Applications has been concluded.
This is adjudication for applications that were received between May and August 2023.
Following the previously communicated notification of delays in adjudication and taking into consideration that the Distributing Agency members have worked diligently to process all applications, it is anticipated that all applicants will receive correspondence on the outcome of their application by 31 January 2025.
Funds for the 2023/24 Call for Applications have been distributed as follows:
R781,752,569.00 was allocated to the Charities sector to drive critical social impact.
• 60% of these funds have been directed towards protecting vulnerable groups through programs addressing poverty, abuse, and disability. Issued by the National Lotteries Commission
• 25% supported Early Childhood Development (ECD), a cornerstone for fostering education and development.
• 1% enhanced Food Security, strengthening community resilience against hunger and malnutrition. • 6% funded Animal Welfare initiatives, ensuring the care and safety of animals in need.
Allocations to organisations in the Arts, Culture, and National Heritage Sector total R309,023,072.00 with funds distributed as follows:
• 77% supported Arts, Culture, and Cultural Heritage Development, empowering creatives and preserving cultural heritage.
• 12% contributed to National Heritage and Environmental Programs, protecting historical sites and promoting environmental awareness.
• 11% focused on Schools Arts, Culture, and Heritage Development, fostering youth participation in cultural activities.
The Sport and Recreation Sector received R332,438,313.00, 52% of which has allocated to School Sports Development, ensuring youth access to structured sporting programs. An NLC grant of R39.3 million to SASCOC also made it possible for Team SA to travel, be accommodated and participate in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The NLC wishes to thank applying organisations for their patience over the past two financial years. To ensure the integrity of the funding process, our stakeholders have borne the brunt of the by-product of delays in the standard timelines.
In November 2024 the NLC issued a new Call for Applications (2024/25), which is processed entirely online. All organisations that did not qualify for funding in the 2023/24 cycle are invited to register their profiles and apply for funding before the closing date of 28 February 2025.
In support of the transition to an online environment, the NLC website will be zero-rated from the end of January 2025 to ensure that applicants do not pay for data when applying for funding on the NLC’s website.
Applicants can make use of the free skills, support, and resources of Smart Skills Centres established by the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) based at TVET colleges across the country, and NLC provincial offices around the country are open and available to support grant applications to ensure that application documents are complete and compliant.
The Board of the NLC will continue with its efforts to strengthen the governance and to effectively implement its strategic interventions to the organisation
Facebook: National Lotteries Commission
X:@sa_nlc
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Issued by the National Lotteries Commission
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