Sol Phenduka Raises Eyebrows Over R179 Million PowerBall Jackpot Win: “They’ll Give to a Random?”
- A South African won a record R179 million PowerBall jackpot in the draw held on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, according to lottery operator Ithuba
- On Thursday, 22 January 2026, Sol Phenduka posed a question regarding the PowerBall jackpot win
- His comment on social media sparked widespread debate, with many users echoing his scepticism
Source: Instagram
Renowned broadcaster Sol Phenduka sparked a flurry of reactions after posing a question following news that a lucky South African bagged the historic R179 million PowerBall jackpot.
The national lottery operator Ithuba announced news of the lucky PowerBall jackpot winner who walked away with R178,955,240 in the draw that took place on January 20 2026. The lucky person matched five numbers and the jackpot after playing 2, 3, 16, 17, and 35, with the bonus number 5. Two people who matched five numbers won R425,827.00 for their efforts.
Sol Phenduka questions R179 million PowerBall jackpot win
As South Africans reacted to the news that a fortunate individual had walked away with almost R180 million, Sol Phenduka joined the chat with one question that had social media side-eyeing the news that someone had won the jackpot.
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On Thursday, 22 January 2026, social media user @Lush_Beauty1 shared a screenshot of a news article announcing that someone had won the R179 million PowerBall jackpot. The post was captioned:
“Imagine winning so much money 😭”
See the post below:
Sol Phenduka, who previously reacted to Minnie Dlamini's lottery scandal with a thought-provoking question, weighed in on the post and asked a question that had the timeline buzzing. The post was captioned:
“In a country with so much corruption, they'll give 179 million to a random?”
See the post below:
SA responds to Sol Phenduka's question about the lotto
Social media users flooded the comments in agreement with Sol Phenduka, while others asked questions.
Here are some of the comments:
@JoyLethabo8 recalled:
“Back in the days, before I even went to varsity, we used to have real lotto winners, and it stopped then. These days, Lotto is just a cash cow for people in that circle. Nowadays, nothing goes out; it's just money coming in, and they share amongst themselves.”
@BizGuru4 asked:
“Serious Question 🤔🤔 Has anyone ever seen a tycoon who got established through Lotto Money & can boast that Lotto changed their lives forever 🤔🤔 Please do share.”
@kingb2613 said:
“Sol, if you have 4 dice, what are the odds of throwing straight sixes on all 4 dice with every throw? Say you have a chance to do 100 throws. This is the simplest explanation of possibly winning the lotto, if it happens at all. It's not me, it's mathematics and probability.”
@Henry_Phindel remarked:
“The lottery is hope sold to the desperate, a carefully manufactured illusion wrapped in bright colours and winning stories, aimed at people who feel trapped by poverty, debt, and limited opportunity. It promises sudden freedom and a life without struggle, while quietly draining the little money and hope people have left. Instead of addressing the real causes of inequality or creating sustainable pathways out of hardship, it profits from despair, turning suffering into revenue and chance into a substitute for opportunity.”
Sol Phenduka defends legendary actor Luthuli Dlamini
Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Sol Phenduka commented on a viral video of actor Luthuli Dlamini that was shared on social media.
In the clip, Dlamini was roaming the streets. Social media users and fans of the former Scandal! actor reacted to Phenduka's comments regarding the clip.
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Source: Briefly News
