The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has set aside the decision to award the Fourth National Lottery licence to Sizekhaya Holdings.
Minister Parks Tau must now reconsider the award within 12 months.
This ruling follows a controversial process where Sizekhaya previously secured the R180 billion deal.
Lottery players can breathe a sigh of relief. The court explicitly suspended the invalidity order for two consecutive six-month periods.
This protects public interest and ensures ticket sales and prize payouts continue without disruption.
How players can buy lottery tickets right now
Because the court suspended the ruling, the National Lottery remains fully operational.
Players can securely purchase their tickets using these standard channels:
- Banking apps and USSD: Most major South African banks offer direct ticket purchases. Log in to your banking app, navigate to the “Transact” or “Buy” menu, and select “Lottery”. This includes Absa, FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank, and Capitec.
- Official digital platforms: Register an account and top up your wallet online. Visit the official National Lottery website or download the mobile app to play, track tickets, and check results.
- In-store retailers: Physical ticket sales remain fully operational. Buy tickets at any authorised retail partner, including major supermarkets like Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, and Spar. You can also visit selected petrol stations or local spaza shops equipped with lottery terminals.
Judge Neil Davis declared the licence agreement between the Minister, the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), and Sizekhaya invalid.
This suspension allows the Minister time to reconsider the award or transition to another operator.
Why the court declared the Sizekhaya lottery licence invalid
The court found that Minister Tau’s decision to introduce an additional Ministerial Committee was unlawful.
The NLC originally ranked Ringeta Consortium first with 73.92 points. Sizekhaya came second with 72.95 points.
The extra committee applied different weightings to recommend Sizekhaya as the preferred bidder.
Judge Davis ruled this was procedurally unfair because bidders were not informed of the new process.
Importantly, the court did not disqualify Sizekhaya. Their bid met the legal requirements. The flaw was purely in the award process.
The Minister must now re-decide without the committee’s recommendations.
Players can check the latest new lottery rules changes on our site.
EFF welcomes ruling on Sizekhaya holdings
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have welcomed the judgment.
The party has consistently opposed the appointment, citing documented conflicts of interest within the NLC’s evaluation structures.
“Sizekhaya Holdings is a company in which the Goldrush Consortium is a principal and majority shareholder,” the EFF stated.
They also flagged political exposure, including Sandile Zungu’s previous ANC candidacy.
The EFF formally wrote to Minister Tau and President Cyril Ramaphosa demanding transparency.
“The court’s decision underscores the seriousness of the issues,” the party added.
What happens next for lottery players?
The Minister now has 12 months to review the process.
If Sizekhaya is not awarded the licence again, the second six-month period allows for a full transition.
A new operator will eventually take over from Ithuba Holdings.
For now, all National Lottery draws remain fully operational. We will monitor the Minister’s next steps closely.
For official updates from the current operator, visit the Sizekhaya official website.
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