Ithuba Lottery has filed a court challenge against Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Taus decision to award the multibillion-rand national lottery licence to Siwekhaya Holdings - and it has cited Sizekhayas alleged links to Deputy President Paul Mashatile as one of its grounds.
Tau awarded Sizekhaya the licence in late May. In June, AmaBhungane reported that one of Sizekhayas shareholders is Bellamont Gaming, whose co-owners and co-directors are Bogatsu and KwaZulu-Natal businessman Moses Tembe.
Bogatsu is twin sister to Mashatiles spouse Humile, while Tembe, who is reportedly linked to the African National Congress ANC, is allegedly close to Mashatile. Businessman Sandile Zungu, who is reportedly also ANC-linked, is also part of the consortium.
Ithubas legal fight against Sizekhaya lottery licence awardIthuba Lottery, which is linked to Ithuba Holdings that has held South Africas lottery licence for the past eight years, filed its court challenge on 8 July at the Pretoria high court, GroundUp reports.
Tau granted Ithuba Holdings a 12-month extension of its licence in June. This means that Sizekhaya has a 12-month grace period before it takes over lottery operations.
In court papers, Ithuba Lotterys chief operations and financial officer, Louis Almero Du Pisanie, argues that the extension proves that Sizekhaya was not ready to run the lottery immediately. This was contrary to the bidding terms and Lottery Acts requirements, he adds.
Sizekhaya reportedly stated that it could only secure funding from 22 October 2025 and needed a nine-month transition period.
"Bidders had to have a comprehensive transition plan in place to support a full and prompt launch of the lottery," Du Pisanie argues.
Alleged links to Paul MashatileDu Pisanie also cites reports of Sizekhayas alleged political links to the ANC and Mashatile. "We are not in a position to confirm the veracity of these reports however, they raise serious concerns, he states.
However, he questions whether Tau had ensured that no political party and no political office bearer had any direct or indirect financial interest in the successful applicant."