The suspended National Lotteries Commission (NLC) secretary, Advocate Nompumelelo Nene, has resigned. Nene was suspended two years ago on full pay while facing allegations of corruption and misconduct.

ALLEGATIONS

During her suspension, which started in November 2022, she continued to earn about R6 million. Nene's last day was 28 February. The former secretary faces 145 disciplinary charges for lack of financial management and misuse of property and assets at the NLC. One of the charges is allegedly forcing the NLC's chief information officer to delete grant beneficiary records from the computer systems and key documents that might have had evidence of the NLC looting. She was also fingered for a conflict of interest for not declaring her relationship with the wife of the NLC COO, among other allegations she is facing. Among the allegations, she also faces non-compliance and irregular expenditure, including the appointment and payments of R26 million to Neo Solutions, a company owned by state-captured businessman Vivien Natasen. Nene is also accused of being involved in the irregular payments made for advertising to a Sunday newspaper, which was paid about R24.7 million between 2020 and 2022. It is reported that the publication is the biggest recipient of NLC advertising expenditure. 

CONSTRUCTIVE DISMISSAL

During the suspension, she took NLC to court in a bid to halt the internal disciplinary process before her resignation. At the time, Nene argued that her suspension was due to unfair, constructive dismissal and was in breach of her employment contract, which the NLC has denied. The matter was struck off the roll, and she was ordered to pay punitive costs.