South Africa is moving closer to appointing a new Chair of the National Lottery Council (NLC), a crucial position for the country’s wider gaming sector in what has been a controversial year.
The process is being overseen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Competition, which carries out the wider task of governing South Africa’s lottery and gambling sectors. The department was notified earlier this year that NLC Chair Professor Barney Pityana planned to retire.
Parks Tau, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, subsequently issued a call for nominees to replace Professor Pityana in the leadership role at the NLC. Tau’s Ministry has now whittled the list down to six prospects.
These are King Thembinkosi Bonakele, Judy Hermans, Mpho Mosing, Nomazotsho Yvonne Memani, Wayne Manthe and Lufuno Tokyo Nevondwe. The prospective candidates will be vetted and subsequently interviewed.
The Ministry has now opened a window for members of the public to submit comments on the candidates, with the window closing on 10 November 2025. Submissions need to be made to André Hermans, Committee Secretary.
A Ministry statement asserted that: “Committee Chairperson, Mr Mzwandile Masina, emphasised that the committee will do everything in its power to ensure that the process remains open and transparent, and that due process is followed.”
The chosen candidate will take on a very politically sensitive task, with the NLC and the South African Lottery in general having come up against public and political scrutiny this year, including allegations of corruption.
This year saw the conclusion of the tender for the lottery contract. This process was subject to a lot of scrutiny, with allegations of close links between the aforementioned Minister Tau and Ithuba Holdings, the holder of the licence.
The contest would ultimately conclude with Sizekhaya Holdings, a consortium led by gaming technology group Goldrush Holdings as majority stakeholder, winning the licence tender.
Sizekhaya will commence stewardship of the lottery in 2026, with Ithuba managing the lottery until then under a temporary licence.
However, there have been allegations of closeness between Goldrush Holdings and government and regulatory officials, and Ithuba initiated legal action against the decision earlier this year.