The Lottery and its discontents
Here are articles on who plays the South African Lottery, how the Lottery money is distributed, and dodgy dealings by the National Lotteries Commission and its recipients.
Former Lottery board member ordered to pay back R21-million in stolen grant funds
Money meant for good causes was used for personal gain
Law | 19 August 2025
Minister Tau breaks silence on lottery licence award
Court challenges by rejected bidders have compelled him to explain his decisions
Law | 12 August 2025
SIU investigation into lottery corruption hamstrung by red tape
Application made 15 months ago for permission to investigate dodgy procurement deals
News | 22 July 2025
Mystery of R3-million in Lottery funds paid to Athletics South Africa
ASA says it was unaware of the payment
News | 18 July 2025
How Lottery looters hijacked a GBV organisation
R18-million, awarded to the Make Me Movement, was stolen
By Raymond Joseph and Anton van Zyl
News | 15 July 2025
Ithuba challenges Lottery licence award
This is the second court case brought against Minister Parks Tau for awarding the licence to Sizekhaya Holdings
Law | 14 July 2025
Minister appoints ten new lottery grant assessors after year-long delay
NLC says applications backlog has been cleared and future applications will be assessed within 150 days
Brief | 7 July 2025
R10-million emergency lottery funding for flood-ravaged Eastern Cape
The money was approved swiftly using a new funding mechanism that replaced one that had been mired in corruption
Brief | 29 June 2025
Lottery licence evaluators had no lottery experience
Audit firms refused to get involved because of “reputational risk”
News | 26 June 2025