Limpopo Gambling Board Annual Report

2.1.2. Law Enforcement The mandate of the Entity is to investigate and eradicate all forms of illegal gambling activities within the Province. This is done through collaborations with SAPS, NPA and other government departments. In addition to investigations, the Entity also conducts crime awareness campaigns in the entire community of Limpopo in line with the principles of Community Policing approach. The Province is currently faced with a challenge of illegal gambling activities which have a negative impact on the ability of the licensed sites to collect expected revenue and it also deprives the Province of the revenue. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic during March 2020, investigations of illegal gambling activities and crime awareness campaigns were halted. The Entity only focused on invitations received from SAPS on emergency matters to investigate illegal gambling activities. During the 2021/22 financial year, a total of 25 illegal gambling operators were arrested and an amount of R29 500.00 in admission of guilt fines were paid. A total of 96 cases were investigated. The investigations also resulted in the confiscation of 116 illegal gambling machines. During the financial year, the Entity destroyed a total of 57 illegal gambling machines in the form of Chinese Roulette. These machines were confiscated from various spaza shops or taverns throughout the Province. The remaining 59 illegal gambling machines will be destroyed during the 2022/23 financial year. The limited powers granted to the Law Enforcement Unit Inspectors through section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Act (Act 51 of 1977) remains an impeding factor in terms of arrests that lead to convictions. In most cases, the defence challenge the capability of the Law Enforcement Unit Inspectors to effect arrests, thereby influencing the court to render render such arrests as invalid. Challenges • Human resource capacity – the Entity has a vacancy rate of 19% as at the end of the 2021/22 financial year. The Entity has managed to fill some of the vacancies. • Employment equi ty – the Entity has an employment equity plan and the status in respect of equity is indicated below: - Overall staff complement is 54% males and 46% females. - Senior Management is 60% males and 40% females. Equity status in respect of females declined from 50% during the year due to the resignation of the CFO who is female. - People with disability is at 2%. 2.2. Organisational Environment

The Entity will target female appointees during the recruitment process to address the equity challenge of under-representation of women at all levels.

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