Sizekhaya Lottery Award Set Aside as South Africa Keeps Draws Running

South Africa’s National Lottery will keep running after the Pretoria High Court set aside the decision to award its operating licence to Sizekhaya Holdings. The ruling, delivered on 2 November 2026, sends the award back to Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau for reconsideration. However, the court suspended the effect of its invalidity order to avoid an immediate disruption. Sizekhaya says ticket sales, scheduled draws and prize payments will continue while the process plays out.

Why the Court Set Aside the Award

The case centred on an additional ministerial committee appointed to reassess bids for the Fourth National Lottery and Sports Pools Licence. Unsuccessful bidders Ithuba Lottery and Ringeta Consortium challenged the award.

Tau announced the original award in May 2025, following negotiations with the preferred bidder.

According to GroundUp’s court report, the original process involved evaluating bids, adjudicating them and a ministerial decision after consultation with the National Lotteries Commission. The commission’s adjudication committee recommended Ringeta as the preferred bidder, with Sizekhaya as reserve.

The ministerial committee then conducted a separate assessment and recommended Sizekhaya. Judge Norman Davis found that this parallel process was not provided for in the request for proposals and was unlawful and procedurally unfair.

Tau must now reconsider the award without relying on that committee’s report or recommendations. The court also declared the resulting licence agreement invalid, subject to the suspension of its order.

What It Means for Lottery Players

The immediate message for players is continuity. In a shareholder announcement issued on 3 November, Goldrush Holdings, which has an indirect interest in Sizekhaya, said the operator would continue running the lottery during the reconsideration.

Its statement said:

Games, draws, ticket sales and prize payments are not affected.

Sizekhaya took over lottery operations on 1 June 2026. Casino.com previously reported on Sizekhaya’s first 100 days, when more than R1.07 billion was paid across over 12.1 million winning entries.

That opening period also brought changes to the lottery’s products and access channels. These included renamed games, restored live televised draws and the return of Scratch Cards and USSD play.

The latest judgment concerns how the licence was awarded. It does not require those services to close immediately, nor does it announce an immediate replacement for the operator.

What Happens Next

The order provides an initial six-month period for Tau to make a fresh award decision. If he decides against awarding the licence to Sizekhaya again, a further six months allows for a new licence agreement and transitional arrangements.

Goldrush said Sizekhaya remains eligible to receive the licence again. It also said the court made no adverse findings against Sizekhaya, its shareholders, management or the quality of its bid.

The ruling reopens the award decision without choosing a replacement. Sizekhaya continues operating while Tau reconsiders the bids.