Sizekhaya Makes Old Winning Tickets Valid After Ithuba Takeover
- National Lottery prize claims for tickets won before June 2026 can still be claimed from Sizekhaya
- The new national Lotto operator, Sizekhaya, completed the processes required to sync historical winner records
- Ticket holders can visit regional offices with original documents to initiate payouts following the transition-period freeze
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Source: Original
In June 2026, the South African National Lottery officially restarted processing prize claims for winning tickets issued before its June 1 operational handover. The nationwide reopening occurred after the new operator, Sizekhaya, successfully synchronised historical winner data with their new systems to restore services.
The verification process, monitored by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), involved a high-stakes technical audit to ensure every historical liability was accurately accounted for. Sizekhaya revealed that the delays were a necessary security measure to prevent a spike in fraudulent claims during the transition. By pausing payouts, the team was able to ensure a "clean-slate" migration of sensitive data from the previous operator.
Source: UGC
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
How to claim Ithuba lotto wins after Sizekhaya
Got a golden ticket from May 31 or earlier? Here is exactly how and where you can process your lotto prize claims: All tickets remain valid for exactly 365 days from the date of the draw. Winners of a mid-tier prize (R2,001 – R50,000): Visit a National Lottery regional office or selected partner banks to secure your payout. For more than R50,000, you’ll need to make a trip directly to a National Lottery regional office. Note: Major winners will also receive mandatory financial advice and trauma counselling to help manage the life-changing windfall.
This reveal brings closure to a week of uncertainty for winners who feared their pre-transition tickets might have lost their validity during the corporate management change. National Lotteries Commission Commissioner Jodi Scholtz said:
"This milestone provides certainty for players and helps ensure that legitimate prize claims can now be processed and paid in accordance with established regulatory and governance requirements."
Read comments from worried lotto players below:
@mpilo_simon commented:
"Hey @za_lottery, since I bought my ticket 3 weeks ago, when it was still Ithuba operating the Lotto. I just can't check my ticket. I have been to so many shops, and no one helps. Please reply to help a frustrated lottery buyer. Thanks."
@ThaboTitus74 said:
"I am having the very same problem, bro. They tell me I must keep my ticket safe until the solution is found, coz we can't check our ithuba ticket on the new system."
Other Briefly News stories about the lotto
- South Africans congratulated a teacher who became a lotto winner, and they could relate to the plans she had for the money.
- A mining entrepreneur claimed the first big jackpot after Sizekhaya took over from the former National Lottery operator Ithuba
- Online users were amused by a lotto winner who bagged R100 million, and he shared his plans for all the cash.
- People were touched by a man from Mpumalanga who won the Lotto, and he shared that one of his first spins will be to give back to the community.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
