Local fashion designer named in SIU’s National Lotteries Commission investigation

South African designer Thula Sindi is implicated in the SIU’s National Lotteries Commission investigation. Picture: File.

South African designer Thula Sindi is implicated in the SIU’s National Lotteries Commission investigation. Picture: File.

Published Feb 15, 2024

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The corruption in South Africa will shock you and we are still in awe following the Special Investigating Unit’s update on Valentine’s Day.

South Africans are in disbelief after local designer Thula Sindi popped up on the SIU page.

The SIU is busy with the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) investigations and Sindi is implicated.

The SIU said after completing 90% of the second phase investigations, they found that the renowned fashion designer received R140 000 from the NLC.

Although it is not clear what the money was for, Sindi received funds from actress Terry Pheto, who allegedly benefited from the R5 million from NLC in 2018.

Most South Africans were disappointed with Sindi because he has always been vocal about anti-corruption, so being caught up in a scandal like that was a shocker.

They even dug up his old posts where he was speaking against corruption.

“If u (you) want silence from those in any proximity to any form of corruption, then you are simply reinforcing what is the usual.

“Next you’ll be calling them complicit for their silence. Ppl (people) are realising that personal benefit doesn’t matter when there is structural damage being done,” Sindi wrote.

As he has always been vocal about anti-corruption, people called him out for being a beneficiary of the corruption he spoke against.

@16_Baby10 wrote: “Bandla, Thula Sindi was writing long tweets here calling people out for corruption, kanti (yet) he ate????”

Another X user, @MadiBoity, said: “Thula Sindi blocked me before Covid-19 when I spoke about that two-month-old NGO that received R500K from the National Lottery despite the requirements being that an NGO must have financial statements for 12 months.

“NGO was owned by his musician friend. It was a big storm that day here on the TL when I flagged it. I didn’t understand why he was upset, but today I do.”

Others argue that perhaps he is entangled in this controversy because he made dresses for Pheto, so the R140 000 flagged by SIU was for that.

Below are more reactions from South Africans who are shocked by the scandal.

— Lesilo Rula (@kay_mahapa) February 14, 2024

∎ Independent Media Lifestyle reached out to Sindi for a right of reply but he did not respond by the time of publishing. This is a developing story.