Last week, Judge Sulet Potterill ruled that Minister Tau must announce the successful bidder by 28 May and declared that “the decision to issue a temporary licence was unconstitutional.” To prevent a halt in lottery ticket sales, the judge suspended her order for five months, allowing the temporary license to be valid during this period.
In a statement on Wednesday, Minister Tau remarked, “It is most unfortunate that this matter has already become the subject of litigation and a judgment of the high court. I am seeking legal advice with a view to appealing against the judgment’s findings and orders … With due respect to the [court], my announcement [of the lottery licence holder] is the result of my undertaking made to the bidders and the court before the hearing of the application.”
Minister Tau also noted that he did not announce a reserve bidder, indicating there is no backup plan should the deal with Goldrush falter.
Sizekhaya’s selection has sparked controversy, with parliamentarians from the EFF and Build One South Africa questioning the awarding process. The consortium is led by KwaZulu-Natal businessmen Moses Tembe and Sandile Zungu, the latter of whom owns AmaZulu Football Club. Zungu previously ran for the ANC KwaZulu-Natal chair position in 2022 before withdrawing.
Sizekhaya’s technological partner is Genlot, a Chinese-based company operating the second-largest lottery in the world. Based in Shenzhen, China, Genlot manages lotteries across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Brazil, and Jamaica. The company reports an annual turnover of $60 billion in “sales processed” and claims a 19% “global market share.”
Further developments regarding the definitive start date of Sizekhaya’s lottery operations are anticipated as legal proceedings and negotiations continue.
Source: Groundup