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Minister grants gambling licence despite objections

13/07/2010 00:00:00 TIMOTHY SIMELANE

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MBABANE – The Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Macford Sibandze has granted a gambling licence to a South African slot shop amidst objections from competitors.

A bulk of the competitors are complaining that the gambling industry is being flooded and that Swaziland may soon become a replica of Las Vegas, the American city of gambling.

Q’s Super Slots is owned by Jacques van Heerden, who is currently facing a barrage of criticism from competitors because of his approach to the industry to seek to have many branches. His registered company is Qs Swaziland (PTY) LTD.

The minister granted the company 10 years to operate in Swaziland.

Qs Super Slots is also operating in several international countries including the USA.

Van Heerden has opened two shops in Manzini and Matsapha and intends to open several others within the country over the next few days.

The Gaming Board and the minister were non-committal when asked if van Heerden had been granted a licence. However, the Times Investigation Desk has it in authority that the licence was granted on Thursday and signed by the minister. As a result of the opposition, it has taken van Heerden about two years to finally get the licence as he was sent from pillar to post in the face of the objections.

His case is the most recent development that has plagued the controversial gambling industry as the Happy Valley Resort also came under strong objections when it launched its gambling machines.

When questions were posed to the minister, he asked to consult on the issue. He later forwarded questions to the Gaming Board, saying "they are the ones dealing with such issues."

Meanwhile, the Gaming Board Chairman Almon Mkhwanazi was also non committal on the issue, saying the minister is responsible for issuing gaming licences in terms of the Lotteries Act of 1963.

"We did not know that the company was already operating, but if there is a licence, then there is no problem because this is the requirement for a gambling company to operate in Swaziland," he said.

They’re a jealous lot – van Heerden

MATSAPHA – Director of Q’s Super Slots Jacques van Heerden lashed out at his competitors for opposing his licence application

Van Heerden said he was issued with the licence on Friday he started setting up shop.

He said Qs Super Slots was bringing a much improved service in that the chances of winning had been increased many times.

He said his payout percentage (chances of winning) was 97 per cent, a major departure from some gambling companies who offer about 40 percent.

"The others have been giving five percent to the people and keeping 95 per cent, but I intend to give 50 per cent to the people," he said.

He also says his slots machines are the first of its kind in Swaziland in that they are technologically advanced.

He says he intends to open 60 shops in Swaziland and employs about 18 Swazis in the Matsapha branch. He says the Manzini branch will employ even more Swazis.

He then paid tribute to the current Gaming Board which he said cooperated with him.

‘They are turning the country into Las Vegas’

MBABANE – Companies within the gaming industry have bitterly complained at the manner in which the licence was issued to Q’s Super Slots, saying that this is a travesty to the regulation of gambling in the country.

"We have always understood government to be taking serious action to regulate the industry but what we see is not gratifying. Every corner of the street will now have a sloto shop, and this will turn the country to a Las Vegas," said a representative of one of the gambling companies.

Aggrieved

The aggrieved companies also pointed to the Gaming Bill currently being piloted by the minister to parliament.

An extract of one of the letters written to the ministry reads: "We would like to commend the ministry for introducing such sections as 27 and 28 which provide for objections to the grants or renewal of licences and also for public hearings. No doubt these sections are intended to give various interested parties, be it operators or consumers the opportunity to object to the grant or renewals of any new licences.

In our view this is an improvement to the old legislation and represents a commendable improvement in government policy regarding gaming and bringing it in line with other commercial licencing legislation in the country."

Section 27 of the bill reads: "A person may object, individually or jointly with others to an application, renewal transfer or amendment of a licence or authorisation under this Act not later than 14 days after an advertisement of an application, renewal or transfer or amendment."

For the gambling industry, the proposed legislation was too late to prevent Q’s Super Slots from getting a licence.

Legislation

Instead, the pre-independence piece of legislation that is the Gaming Act of 1963 was used and reads under Section 13: The minister may, upon such conditions as he deems fit, grant and issue to any person an exclusive licence to promote and conduct public lotteries if he is satisfied that such person is a person of integrity, and has adequate financial resources and experience to conduct a public lottery property."