SIU Freezes Jazz Star Selota’s Benz Amid Allegations of Misused Lottery Funds

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has obtained a preservation order from the Special Tribunal, effectively freezing a luxury Mercedes-Benz linked to South African jazz luminary Selaelo Selota. The vehicle, a symbol of status and affluence, is now at the center of a high-stakes investigation into the misappropriation of public funds meant for the vulnerable and elderly.

According to the SIU, the Mercedes-Benz in question was bought using money misdirected from grants issued by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC). These grants were earmarked for community upliftment projects, particularly the construction of old-age homes and the provision of elder care services in various provinces. Instead, a trail of questionable financial transactions has emerged, revealing how public funds intended for charitable purposes were diverted to personal luxuries.

Suspicious NPO Transfers Uncovered

The SIU investigation has identified three non-profit organisations (NPOs) at the center of the misappropriation scandal. These NPOs—Matieni Community Centre, Lethabong Old Age Home, and War Against Rape and Abuse—had each received substantial grants from the NLC during the last quarter of 2017. The funds were ostensibly meant to support noble causes, but the financial records suggest a very different outcome:

• Matieni Community Centre applied for R20 million but was awarded R23 million—an unusual R3 million more than requested—on October 16, 2017. By November, they had received R20 million, of which nearly R6 million (R5.975 million) was quickly transferred to an entity known as Mbidzo Development Programme.

• Lethabong Old Age Home received R20 million in November 2017. Shockingly, R15 million of that was almost immediately channeled to Mbidzo Development Programme.

• War Against Rape and Abuse was granted another R20 million in December 2017, of which R5 million also made its way to Mbidzo.

The SIU’s forensic tracing of these funds revealed that on January 18, 2018, Mbidzo Development Programme deposited R104,600.01 with a car dealership to initiate the purchase of the luxury vehicle. Just five days later, on January 23, the remaining R300,000 was paid, completing the transaction. The vehicle was subsequently registered under the name of Selaelo Selota, thereby linking him directly to the allegedly misappropriated funds.

Legal Ramifications and Broader Implications

The preservation order issued by the Special Tribunal prevents Selota from selling or transferring the vehicle, as investigations continue. The order is part of the SIU’s broader mandate to recover state losses resulting from corruption, negligence, or maladministration.

In a public statement, the SIU emphasized that it is empowered to launch civil actions through the High Court or Special Tribunal in accordance with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996. Moreover, any evidence uncovered that suggests criminal behavior is promptly referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for possible prosecution.

This case is a critical example of the widespread abuse of public funds earmarked for social welfare programs. While the grants were intended to improve the lives of the elderly and victims of abuse, the misuse of these funds underscores a troubling trend of exploitation within the non-profit sector.

Call for Accountability

Civil society organizations have reacted strongly to the revelations, demanding swift and decisive action against those who manipulate the system for personal gain. The freezing of Selota’s luxury car may be just the beginning, as the SIU continues its sweeping investigation into NLC grants and associated entities.

The case also raises broader questions about the governance and oversight of grant distributions by the NLC. How did three different NPOs, all approved in close succession, funnel large portions of their funding to the same development programme? And how did that money end up being used to purchase a private vehicle for a well-known public figure?

As the SIU delves deeper into the tangled web of financial transactions, the South African public waits for justice—not just for the misused funds, but for the elderly and vulnerable who were denied the support they were promised.