Have you ever wondered why Lotto and PowerBall draws aren’t aired on radio?

South Africa’s Lotto and PowerBall draws are strictly broadcast on TV rather than aired live on radio, and there is a very good reason for that.

As Sizekhaya Holdings marked its first 100 days operating the National Lottery since taking over on 1 June 2026, chief operating officer Fundi Sithebe revealed that the answer rests on one non-negotiable foundation: maintaining public trust.

Sithebe explained to The South African that visual transparency is essential for governance. While radio stations efficiently share winning numbers post-draw, watching physical machines select numbers live assures players that the process is completely random and tamper-free.

Transparency, live draws and a R1-billion winning streak

“The main reason the draws are not aired on radio is that the integrity of the draw depends on it being seen,” Sithebe stated. Visual broadcasting fulfills regulatory requirements set by the National Lotteries Commission and independent auditors.

To support these standards, Sizekhaya restored live televised draws on SABC and e.tv, allowing households across South Africa to share in the excitement as numbers are drawn.

Restoring live visual draws represents just one milestone for Sizekhaya – an isiZulu name meaning “coming home”. Formed as a consortium including JSE-listed Goldrush Group (50% shareholding), Bellamont Gaming (40%, co-founded by chairman Moses Tembe), and the National Empowerment Fund, the company delivered a seamless transition without missing a single draw across its eight-year licence.

Sizekhaya milestones, cascading jackpots and 12 million winners

The numbers from Sizekhaya’s first three months reflect extraordinary momentum.

Across PowerBall, PowerBall Xtra, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max, the operator created 12 112 325 winners, paying out over R1.07 billion (R1 074 688 314) in combined prizes.

Within 72 hours of launch, a KwaZulu-Natal player won a R128-million PowerBall jackpot, followed by a R93.5-million win in Soweto, a R69-million win in Gauteng, and three PowerBall Plus winners taking over R45.7 million each.

Player engagement has been further energised by game innovations such as cascading jackpots.

In a recent Tuesday PowerBall Xtra draw, the cascade rule kicked in, dividing an estimated R21-million jackpot among 15 players who each won R1 388 743.20.

Beyond individual jackpots, Sizekhaya has contributed R529.1 million to the National Lotteries Distribution Fund (NLDTF) and paid R181.65 million to 148 onboarded local suppliers.

Broadening access across South Africa

Under executive leadership led by chief executive officer Lebogang Ndadana, accessibility has reached new heights.

With 6 505 active terminals across all nine provinces, USSD play, Scratch Cards, major banking apps, and ticket sales at 60 South African Post Office branches, playing has never been more accessible.

“Taking responsibility for an operation of this size and national significance requires enormous preparation, strong partnerships and absolute focus,” said Sithebe.

“We began this journey with the ambition to create more winners, more often, while protecting the integrity of every game… these first 100 days are only the beginning.”