Sizekhaya Holdings chairperson Moses Tembe said the transition from the previous operator represented more than a routine operational handover.
Image: Supplied
South Africa’s incoming National Lottery operator, Sizekhaya Holdings, has pledged to modernise and expand the country’s lottery system while strengthening transparency, accessibility and public trust ahead of officially taking over operations on 1 June.
The commitment was outlined at a joint media and stakeholder event on Thursday hosted by Sizekhaya and the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), where executives presented their plans for the future of the National Lottery and Sports Pools system.
The event brought together business leaders, retailers, media representatives and stakeholders from across the lottery sector for what was described as the first comprehensive public introduction to Sizekhaya’s leadership team, strategic vision and operational priorities.
Central to the company’s plans is a drive to increase participation in the lottery, create more winners and improve convenience for players through both retail and digital channels. The company also confirmed that live televised lottery draws will return once it assumes operations next month.
The event brought together business leaders, retailers, media representatives and stakeholders from across the lottery sector.
Image: Supplied
Sizekhaya chairperson Moses Tembe said the transition from the previous operator represented more than a routine operational handover, but also as an opportunity to renew and strengthen one of South Africa’s most recognisable national institutions.
“As Sizekhaya, we understand clearly that we are not only operating a business. We are acting as custodians of a national institution,” Tembe said.
He described the National Lottery as both a platform of opportunity for ordinary South Africans and an important instrument for social development.
“The National Lottery occupies a unique place in our society. For sure, it is a game of possibility. Every week, millions of South Africans participate in the hope that life may change for the better. But the lottery is also much more than that; it is a national instrument for development, opportunity and social impact,” he said.
NLC chairperson Barney Pityana stressed that the lottery remained a significant national asset with a strong developmental mandate.
Image: Supplied
Tembe added that funds generated through ticket sales continue to play a critical role in supporting charitable organisations, sports, arts and culture initiatives, and broader community development projects across the country through allocations made by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.
The company said innovation and accessibility would be key priorities as it seeks to modernise the lottery system and adapt to changing consumer behaviour.
“The future of the National Lottery must be accessible, modern and responsive to the way South Africans live today,” Tembe said.
The event also marked one of the first major public engagements involving leadership from both the incoming operator and the regulator ahead of the operational transition.
NLC chairperson Barney Pityana stressed that the lottery remained a significant national asset with a strong developmental mandate.
“The National Lottery is more than a commercial enterprise. It is a national public asset with a profound developmental mandate and social responsibility,” Pityana said.
“As the National Lotteries Commission, we remain committed to ensuring that the lottery is operated with integrity, accountability and transparency, while continuing to maximise its positive impact in communities across South Africa.”
Pityana said the commission would continue to oversee the integrity and continuity of the lottery system throughout the transition process and beyond.
The launch of the new operator comes amid heightened public interest in the future direction of the National Lottery, particularly regarding governance, transparency and the distribution of billions of rand towards social causes and development programmes.
The National Lottery remains one of South Africa’s most recognisable public gaming institutions, generating funding for charities, non-profit organisations and development initiatives nationwide.
Sizekhaya said it intends to position the lottery as a more trusted, modern and inclusive platform capable of delivering meaningful benefits to players, retailers and communities alike.
The company formally assumes operation of South Africa’s National Lottery and Sports Pools on 1 June 2026.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has denied any wrongdoing after questions were raised in Parliament about alleged links between him and beneficiaries of a major lottery tender.
Image: GCIS
Meanwhile, Deputy President Paul Mashatile on Thursday rejected questions from DA MP Baxolile Nodada in the National Assembly, which suggested that politically connected associates linked to him benefited from the R180 billion national lottery licence tender, saying it is “shameful” for such claims to be made by a fellow black man.
The matter was first raised by Build One South Africa (BOSA) MP Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, who referenced Section 96 of the Constitution, which prohibits Cabinet members from exposing themselves to conflicts between their official responsibilities and private interests.
Hlazo-Webster said there appeared to be “an increasingly interconnected network between politically connected individuals, lottery interests and business entities” linked to Mashatile.
She also asked whether he would support a full investigation into the awarding of the licence “in line with nobody being above the rule of law and in line with Section 96 of the Constitution”.
In response, Mashatile said the process fell under the authority of Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau, who had delayed the appointment of the lottery operator in order to investigate the matter.
“So you don’t need another investigation,” Mashatile said. “That investigation, if I’m correct, is probably about to be concluded. It’s almost a year. If you recall, the people were supposed to be appointed to this licence last year in June. We are almost in the new year, June. So for the previous year, there was an investigation.”
BUSINESS REPORT