High court clears the way for Sizekhaya to take over SA's disputed national lottery

The Pretoria High Court has dealt Ithuba Lottery a blow when it dismissed its urgent application to block Sizekhaya Holdings from becoming the next lottery operator.

- By Queenin Masuabi

While Ithuba has lost its urgent bid, the company's legal challenge is not over. / x

Sizekhaya Holdings was awarded a multibillion-rands tender as the new licence operator by Minister of Trade and Industry Parks Tau and the National Lotteries Commission (NLC).

In its application, Ithuba argued that Tau and the NLC had committed procedural errors in evaluating bids for the fourth national lottery licence.

The company claimed the process was flawed and sought an order to halt the transition.

However, Judge Ronel Tolmay dismissed the application, paving the way for Sizekhaya to continue its transition to become South Africa's next lottery operator.

In the judgment, Tolmay found that Ithuba had not demonstrated a “clear right” or even a “prima facie right” to justify an urgent interdict.

“Ithuba did not meet the requirements for an interim interdict. It did not show a clear right.