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Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Parks Tau, has appointed Senior Council Fana Nalane as Administrator at Gauteng Gambling Board (GGB) to ensure that there is a culture of corporate governance. The appointment has since been published in the Provincial Government gazette, notice 266 of 2021.

In terms of the Gauteng Gambling Act 1995 section 18C (1) and 2(a), MEC Tau is responsible for the entity and has the governance responsibilities and powers to intervene in the interest of improving the proper running of the Gauteng Gambling Board. The MEC has also consulted the Executive Council as provided in the Act.

The former Board was unable to reach a quorum due to a number of resignations during the financial year. Subsequently, the remaining board members also resigned leaving the entity without a Board. The MEC decided to appoint an administrator, as provided for in the Gambling Act, to perform the functions of the Board. 

The GGB achieved a clean audit in the 2019/2020 financial year making this its fifth consecutive clean audit and one of few entities to have established such a track record. 

MEC Parks Tau notes that the GGB once more achieved a clean audit for the 2019/2020 financial year, making this its fifth consecutive clean audit and one of few entities to have established such a track record. For the financial year ended in March 2021, the GGB has already recorded the achievement on all its predetermined performance targets. Despite the global wide COVID 19 impact, the GGB has amongst others, managed to collect in the excess of R800million in gambling taxes, which was contributed to provincial fiscal. MEC Tau remains confident that the GGB will be able to achieve yet another clean audit for the year ended in March 2021. The Gauteng Department of Economic Development has entities that have a critical role to play in re-igniting Gauteng Provincial economy, as a result all efforts must be made to ensure that these entities function optimally.

The contribution of the gaming sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) in South Africa and to the Gauteng Province, has been exponential over the years. Since its inception, the GGB has collected an estimated gambling revenue of over R 14 billion on behalf of the Gauteng Province contributing approximately 17,5% to the Gauteng Provincial Revenue Fund in the previous financial year. The GGB has endeavoured to maximise revenue for the province and implement innovative systems and processes with a view to improve service delivery through a business automation project.

The Administrator, Adv Nalane, has been given this responsibility for a period of six months until the next Annual General Meeting. The process to appoint a new Board will be published in order to afford all interested parties an equal opportunity to apply.

Issued by the MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development