Calls for National Lotteries Board Chief Dismissal

June 23 - The Chief Executive of South Africa's National Lotteries Board, Professor Vevek Ram has come under increased fire for his leadership style and the state of the lottery, with many across the industry calling for his immediate dismissal.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation reported last week that several employees with the National Lotteries Board demanded Ram's dismissal, saying that they had lost confidence in him.

Employees called Ram's leadership style "bureaucratic and inept" and lodged a complaint through the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers.

A representative of the trade union told the SABC: "We felt that the way that in which he was running the organization was affecting us as employees, our wellbeing and our ability to grow within the organization was being hampered by his leadership style. We want Prof. Vevek Ram to vacate his office."

The employees have signed a vote of no confidence and have urged the National Lotteries Board to terminate Ram's employment by the end of June.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance said that the continuous calls for Ram's dismissal are causing chaos in the industry. "Charities are becoming increasingly desperate for funds as the mismanagement of this important body continues," read a statement issued by the DA in recent days.

The Democratic Alliance urged authorities to launch an investigation into the "problem-fraught" happenings of the Lottery Board and try to solve the issues involved.

More and more charity organizations, who depend on National Lottery contributions to continue with their services, are on the verge of closing down because funds that were promised had still not been issued. In addition, a back log in the application process has left charity organizations in the dark as to whether their appeals for funds were even received by the board, never mind approved or rejected.

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