South African High Court orders new lottery licence tender process
South Africa's High Court has set aside the 2025 licence award to Sizekhaya Holdings, restarting the bidding for the Fourth National Lottery.
The High Court of South Africa has overturned the decision to grant the Fourth National Lottery licence to Sizekhaya Holdings, a company majority-owned by Goldrush Holdings. The ruling effectively restarts the competitive bidding process for the lucrative concession.
Sizekhaya was awarded the licence by Minister Parks Tau in 2025 following a formal tender process and took over the lottery's operations from the previous holder, Ithuba, in June 2026. The court's decision now nullifies that award.
The case was brought by Ithuba, which had held the licence prior to the transition. The court found grounds to set aside the original award, though specific legal reasoning has not been detailed in the ruling.
The Fourth National Lottery licence covers the operation of South Africa's state-run lottery games, including Lotto and PowerBall. The tender process will now be reopened, with interested parties expected to reapply.
This development introduces uncertainty for Sizekhaya's ongoing operations, as the company had already assumed control of the lottery. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has not yet commented on the timeline for a new bidding round.
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