South Africa’s High Court has set aside the award of the country’s fourth National Lottery and Sports Pools licence to Sizekhaya Holdings, sending the decision back to the trade and industry minister for reconsideration.
The Gauteng Division found that the minister used an additional committee to re-evaluate bids even though that process was not contemplated by the request for proposals. The November 2 judgment said the departure made the decision procedurally unfair and directed the minister to disregard that committee’s report when deciding again.
The ruling does not eliminate Sizekhaya from the competition. It invalidates the existing award and licence agreement but returns the matter to the minister rather than substituting another bidder. Sizekhaya can therefore still be selected through the reconsidered process.
The declaration of invalidity is suspended for two consecutive six-month periods. The first gives the minister time to make a fresh award, while the second allows a new agreement and transitional arrangements if another applicant is chosen.
The National Lotteries Commission said the judgment does not interrupt current lottery operations. The court’s order was structured to avoid a sudden shutdown while the administrative process is corrected.
