The minister responsible for the National Lottery has awarded an “emergency” 12-month temporary licence to Ithuba Holdings, the company that has operated the National Lottery for the past 10 years. The awarding of the temporary licence was made just hours before Ithuba’s contract ended on 31 May 2025.  According to the Lotteries Act, an operator’s licence is valid for eight years but may be extended once for a maximum of two years. Ithuba’s original licence, issued in 2015, was extended for two years in 2023 and ended on 31 May 2025.  It is unclear on what grounds Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau granted a further year to Ithuba Holdings. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is in conversation with head of the United Civil Society in Action (UCSA), Tebogo Sithathu.