Latest Lottery News in SA - Wins and Scandals

South Africa’s lottery scene has been making waves with a massive PowerBall jackpot win and ongoing corruption scandals at the National Lotteries Commission (NLC). Read on for the latest in the South African lottery world.

A South African player has won an astounding R102,670,563 PowerBall jackpot. Ithuba, the National Lottery operator, confirmed that the ticket was bought for R100 via a banking app after 16 rollovers.

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R102 Million PowerBall Jackpot – A Life-Changing Win

The winner has yet to come forward, but Ithuba CEO Charmaine Mabuza is confident they will claim their prize soon. She explained that digital ticket purchases streamline the claiming process, with automatic notifications sent to winners.

Three other players won R226,449.60 each in the second division, and all winnings are tax-free. To support winners, Ithuba offers trauma counselling and financial advice for those winning R50,000 or more, with payments processed within 72 hours.

From Sceptic to Believer

NLC Corruption Scandal – Allegations and Cover-Ups While one South African celebrates a life-changing win, the National Lotteries Commission continues to deal with corruption allegations. Former NLC board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda asked the State Security Agency (SSA) to investigate leaks exposing mismanagement. However, the SSA found that the leaks revealed legitimate concerns about corruption rather than state security breaches.

Investigations uncovered manipulation of proactive funding, which allowed NLC officials to allocate grants outside the standard process. Some of these funds ended up in the hands of politically connected individuals. One example involved Tsietsi Maselwa, a former NLC executive, who allegedly diverted R4.3 million meant for a library and museum project to build a private home.

To conceal the mismanagement, officials removed records from the central grants system, classifying them as secret. A new administration, which took over in 2022 and 2023, found missing documents and poor record-keeping, making accountability difficult.

Whistleblowers who exposed corruption faced retaliation, including suspensions and dismissals. Some are now part of a reparation process that seeks to acknowledge and compensate those harmed by the NLC’s actions.

The contrast between the jackpot winner’s fortune and the ongoing fraud investigations highlights the challenges within South Africa’s lottery system. While some genuinely win life-changing amounts, others have exploited the system for personal gain. With ongoing reforms, there is hope for a more transparent and accountable lottery administration.

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