The chief executive of the Gauteng Gambling Board has been dismissed with immediate effect following a forensic investigation that uncovered serious governance failures, procurement irregularities and financial misconduct at the provincial entity.
Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Agriculture and Rural Development Vuyiswa Ramokgopa announced the dismissal of Dr Karabo Mbele at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Monday, 18 May.
The MEC also suspended Chief Financial Officer Oscar Maripane pending the outcome of an internal disciplinary process.
Forensic report implicates CEO in serious misconduct
The action follows a 12-month forensic investigation led by Advocate William Mokhare SC, which examined more than 80 000 pages of evidence and corroborated multiple whistleblower complaints about alleged wrongdoing at the gambling board.
“As a result, I have terminated the contract of employment of the CEO, Dr Karabo Mbele, with immediate effect,” Ramokgopa said.
The independent legal team’s report implicated Mbele in what Ramokgopa described as “serious governance failures and gross misconduct”, including interference in funding adjudication processes, approving funding before governance procedures had been concluded, authorising payments without supporting documentation and failures in compliance and oversight obligations.
The report made findings against Maripane including failures in financial governance, procurement irregularities, non-compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and breakdowns in internal controls and statutory reporting obligations.
Ramokgopa said the gambling board had become the subject of numerous whistleblower complaints since she took office on 1 April. Many whistleblowers had requested anonymity while reporting alleged misconduct, malfeasance and maladministration within the institution.
“It has become clear to me that the status quo at the Gauteng Gambling Board cannot continue,” she said.
DA says dismissal long overdue, demands accountability
The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng said the dismissal was long overdue, with whistleblowers having come forward as far back as 2020 regarding alleged corruption, fraud and abuse of office at the gambling board.
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Economic Development Mike Moriarty said his party had questioned Mbele’s appointment as CEO due to serious allegations of corruption and maladministration that surfaced in 2020.
“Attempts to get answers from the former MEC for Economic Development, Tasneem Motara, fell on deaf ears, and the DA Gauteng was dismissed with contempt,” Moriarty said in a statement on Tuesday.
He said the DA had been calling on the Gauteng Department of Economic Development since 2023 to investigate how Mbele was appointed, despite allegedly not having the required qualifications for the job.
“The DA Gauteng demands an investigation into why Mbele was appointed the CEO of this entity, and those involved in her recruitment must be held to account,” he said.
Moriarty added that the party had been informed that Mbele had appointed several officials who were also accused of corruption.
The DA viewed the suspension of Maripane as a step in the right direction and said it would monitor the outcomes of the disciplinary hearing.
Administrator to be appointed as governing board absent
The gambling board currently has no constituted governing board following the resignation of several board members in December 2025. An administrator will be appointed while the process to establish a new board is underway.
Ramokgopa said stabilising governance and rebuilding public confidence in provincial entities formed part of the Gauteng Provincial Government’s broader economic and institutional reform programme.
The provincial government is focused on implementing commitments made at the second Gauteng Investment Conference, where more than R205 billion in investment pledges were secured. The province aims to achieve 3% GDP growth by 2030, create 300 sustainable jobs, strengthen governance across public institutions and increase provincial revenue generation.
Zero tolerance for corruption, says MEC
Ramokgopa also announced that the Gauteng Liquor Amendment Regulations had been approved by the legislature, including a 7% increase in annual liquor licence fees, the first increase in seven years.
The MEC thanked whistleblowers for exposing alleged wrongdoing and said the provincial government would act decisively against corruption and maladministration.
“Corruption, maladministration and the abuse of public resources will not be tolerated under this administration, and no individual will be above reproach,” she said.
She also thanked former MEC Lebogang Maile for initiating the forensic investigation and Advocate Mokhare’s legal team for conducting what she described as a thorough inquiry.
