Goldrush Holdings updates stakeholders on Sizekhaya’s national lottery licence progress
Sizekhaya Holdings will take over from Ithuba as the operator of South Africa’s National Lottery in June 2026, following its successful bid for the eight-year licence in May 2025.
South Africa.- Goldrush Holdings, the majority stakeholder in Sizekhaya Holdings, the winner of the South African National Lottery licence, has notified stakeholders about the progress concerning the implementation of the eight-year contract.
According to the group’s Director, Jan van Niekerk, Goldrush had provided Sizekhaya with R92m (€4.62m), sourced from internal cash flows and increased bank funding to aid in meeting the operational requirements of the contract.
Sizekhaya Holdings will take over from Ithuba as the operator of South Africa’s National Lottery in June 2026, following its successful bid for the eight-year licence in May 2025.
Van Niekerk noted that Sizekhaya’s leadership team, comprising Moses Tembe, Sandile Zungu, Fundi Sithebe and Dr Mabatho Mutshekwane, had made good headway in establishing the required physical, technological and legal structures for managing the National Lottery, and a final sign-off from the National Lotteries Commission is anticipated ahead of the June 1, 2026, deadline.
However, the director reminded shareholders that Sizekhaya’s path forward is not without obstacles, as the award of the R180bn (€9.05bn) licence is being challenged in court by two other bidders. Although Van Niekerk didn’t specify the names of the competitors contesting the decision, previous reports indicate that they are likely Ithuba and Lekalinga Consulting.
In September 2025, Ithuba initiated legal action against Sizekhaya and the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), seeking to halt the handover process due to alleged irregularities in the bidding and evaluation procedures. This follows a similar action by Lekalinga Consulting in July 2025.
The rival bidders allege that Sizekhaya shareholders’ connections to politicians, especially the Deputy President Paul Mashatile, unfairly swayed the decision-making process, giving them an advantage in obtaining the National Lottery licence. However, Sizekhaya has since rejected these claims, asserting that their selection was based on merit and a transparent bidding process.
Van Niekerk assured shareholders that they would be kept informed as soon as there is a resolution to the ongoing court case. Based on precedents and Sizekhaya’s demonstrated commitment to national lottery operations, it appears likely that the licence award will be upheld.
A contrary decision would mean the launch of a new bidding process, and substantial financial implications for all parties involved, which can have long-term consequences for the lottery sector and the economy as a whole.
