“Divided by 64 Million Citizens”: R257 Million in Unclaimed Lottery Prizes Up for Grabs, SA Reacts

• South Africa's National Lottery confirmed that R257 million in prize money remains unclaimed across the country
• Winners who claimed R25,000 or more face a 15% withholding tax deducted before any payout is made
• South Africans online urged authorities to direct the unclaimed funds toward certain groups of people instead

Millions of rands in lottery winnings are sitting uncollected across South Africa, and the rightful owners may not even know it. Mzansi shared their thoughts on what should happen to the money

According to a report by The South African, a staggering R257 million in National Lottery prizes remains unclaimed in the country right now. The post, shared on 7 July 2026, urged South Africans to check whether they were owed a share of the windfall. The message from the National Lottery is clear: check your old tickets. That R257 million belongs to someone or certain somebodies.

How are Lotto winnings taxed?

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For those who do discover a lucky ticket tucked away, there are important financial rules to keep in mind before celebrating. According to Sanlm Reality, any prize of R25,000 or more is subject to a 15% withholding tax, which gets deducted before the payout reaches your hands. Smaller wins below that threshold are paid out in full, though financial experts still recommend declaring those amounts to SARS via eFiling or through a registered tax professional.

Frequent or professional gamblers face an even stricter standard. Every win they collect counts as part of their regular income and is taxed accordingly, regardless of the size. And if you choose to invest or deposit your winnings, any returns generated on that money will also be subject to normal income tax.

View the Facebook post below:

South Africans have their own ideas

The announcement did not go unnoticed. Many South Africans on social media had strong opinions about where the unclaimed millions should go. This is what Mzansi had to say on the South Africans page:

@Phumzani Tshabalala wrote:

"247million divided by 64million citizens, problems solved. Each Citizens R3million 😅 Phakel'umthakathi wish comes true"

@Delry Pilane said:

"Strategic move to encourage people to bet lottery, because of reduction in numbers."

@Natasha Kritzinger shared:

"Give that money to the poor and pensioners."

@Jones Baloyi added:

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"You can donate to each South African 1 milion."

And @Gerda Havemann commented:

"Start fixing the infrastructure."

More Briefly News on lotto

• A single South African ticket holder became an instant millionaire after winning the R69.5 million PowerBall jackpot from the 3 July draw, sparking fresh interest and questions about the lottery's new cascading jackpot system.
• A Gauteng mining entrepreneur claimed a R100 million Lotto jackpot after unknowingly holding the winning ticket, revealing plans to support his family and fund tertiary education for young people in his church.
• A lucky Gauteng Lotto player won a life-changing R100.6 million jackpot after buying a Quick Pick ticket at Checkers Hyper in Sandton City, with ITHUBA urging players to check their tickets for the unclaimed prize.

Source: Briefly News