A losing bidder in South Africa’s fourth national lottery licence process has taken legal action, challenging the government’s decision to award the licence to Sizekhaya Holdings.
Lekalinga (RF) Pty Ltd, a Serbian-based company partnered with local stakeholders, filed an application in the Pretoria High Court to review and potentially overturn the license award made in May 2025 by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau. The company has demanded that the minister produce the full record and reasons for the decision within 15 days.
Lekalinga alleges that Sizekhaya Holdings may not have met all the bidding requirements. It questions whether the minister assessed if any political party or office-bearers held direct or indirect financial interests in the awarded entity—a requirement stipulated in the Lotteries Act and the Request for Proposals (RFP).
The lottery licence process has been mired in delays and controversy. The announcement, initially expected in September 2024, was postponed for eight months. During this period, Minister Tau issued a temporary one-year emergency licence to Ithuba Lottery, a sister company of the previous licence holder, Ithuba Holdings.
Lekalinga founder Vladimir Vukovic noted that eight companies had submitted bids. He said his legal team had immediately written to Tau under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act to request transparency, citing the “profound public importance” of the issue. To date, the minister has not responded.
Lekalinga argues that awarding the license to Sizekhaya may have violated strict prohibitions against political interference in the lottery system. Vukovic further raised concerns over Sizekhaya’s links to the JSE-listed gaming group Goldrush and alleged political affiliations. These, he insists, demand scrutiny.
Another key concern is Sizekhaya’s capacity to assume control of the lottery within the five-month period required by the RFP. According to Vukovic, affidavits in another court case indicate that both the minister and the National Lotteries Commission knew Sizekhaya would be unable to meet this deadline even before the award was made.
If the released records validate these concerns, Lekalinga intends to formally seek the court’s review and annulment of the licence award to Sizekhaya.
