By Everson Luhanga
- The Special Tribunal ordered Imbizo Events to repay R70,000 in two installments linked to irregular lottery funding for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
- Minenhle Dlamini repaid R50,000 in December after receiving money irregularly through Mshandukani Foundation which investigators say got nearly R25-million.
The Special Investigating Unit has secured a settlement and recovered R70,000 from Imbizo Events this week in a case linked to lottery funding for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
The Special Tribunal ordered the company to repay the money in two installments.
This is the second settlement in the investigation. The repayments form part of a wider effort to return public money to the state and redirect it to lawful beneficiaries.
In December 2025, Minenhle Dlamini repaid R50,000 after investigators found she received money irregularly through the Mshandukani Foundation, a non profit organisation.
The foundation received nearly R25-million in lottery grants. Investigators found it was registered only months before receiving the funding.
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee submitted an application for the grants. The funding was approved within six days of the application.
The money was originally meant to promote the Rio Olympics and fund awareness events in communities.
Instead, investigators say millions from the foundation were paid to a travel agency, a private company and a business trust connected to former lottery officials and their associates.
In April 2025, the Special Tribunal froze assets with a total value of R24.9 million. This included two luxury properties and a specialised vehicle that were bought with the lottery funds.
The Special Investigating Unit has asked the tribunal to set aside the original funding decision and order full repayment of all the money.
The matter was heard in December 2025. The judgment is still pending.
Pictured above: The Special Investigating Unit has recovered R70,000 in a lottery fraud investigation.
Image source: SIU/Facebook
