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Lottery balls
Trade, Industry, and Competition Minister Parks Tau has issued a temporary license to iThuba Holdings. Tau says in a statement that this is in a bid to avoid a potentially disruptive pause in operations at the National Lottery.
In a statement, Minister Tau says the 12-month appointment takes effect on Sunday following negotiations. This is despite the high court ruling that issuing the incumbent Ithuba a 12-month temporary license is unconstitutional and favoured the current operator.
Tau says he is appealing this judgment as another court judgment confirmed his authority to make such an appointment in the public interest. This follows concerns that ticket sales would cease until the new license holder, Sizekhaya, could take over operations next year.
Concerns were also raised about the impact on funds to charities that benefit from the National Lottery Commission.
[WATCH] The National Lotteries Commission has lost its bid to extend Ithuba’s operating licence. Ithuba Holdings’ original licence expired on 31 May 2023, but the commission extended the contract for two years until today. SABC News Economics editor Tshepo Mongoai provides more… pic.twitter.com/bS87GXcF0n
— SABC News (@SABCNews) May 30, 2025
