LOTTERY WINNERS CHEATED BY ITHUBA

These response is very bad. Am being told that my concern will be forwarded, yet am told that still, I will not be assisted. It is as good as a no response at all. You guys are still failing to realise that it is during this period that winners would need their monies than at any other time. Am being told that employees of Ithuba are working remotely. Clearly Ithuba is able to do everything else, accepting our cash, ensuring there are draws, yet they are not prepared to ensure that they make provision for winners to get paid.
At first it was that you won't pay certain amounts during 21-day lockdown, now that has been extended. Surely this situation calls for Ithuba to execute payments to winners. As an online player, I already have registered my details, including the very same bank account from which I made deposits into Ithuba account so I could play. And there's no doubt that certain payment can be made into bank accounts directly without any hassles.
I'm of the view that the only reason why Ithuba insist on hanging on to people's winnings, is only to earn interest from which winners are not going to benefit. Yes you supports lockdown and we all do, but some of these payment can be done remotely in support of lockdown.
Worst of all, they are telling us that they fear covid-19, it was suggested to me that I should make a loan from the bank and show them that am waiting for money. If banks can open for us to go and negotiate loans, surely those who are holding our money, can make provision for us to get our money. Lotto cannot keep running during lockdowns just to maintain profits so their employees can be paid.
Please Ithuba, be considerate

Following ithuba's argument that I had to come into offices so that I could be "verified" together with my "ticket", it became apparent that their rule was outdated since besides having placed my bet online (national lottery app) and my bank account and other details having been authenticated previously, the expectation that I should come to a regional office was unreasonable. I played through the app and rules of a manual player cannot apply to me. A senior official who spoke to me promised that the decision makers weren't available at that however, he would escalate the matter since it made sense and would revert back to me by latest Wednesday, 2020-04-15. It is now the 17th and I have heard nothing. I even asked what is it that needed to be verified from me since I am not carrying any ticket, to this day there is absolutely no reason provided to me as to why I have to come into an office before I could be paid R136 000. Yet am told they are able to pay up R49 000 into a player's online account. You know this people, one even told me to keep my ticket and write a name on it since it is valid for 365 days....but which ticket madoda, the ticket can be verified on my profile online on lottery's own app in the same way they can identify a person who wins R20 or R49000. I suspect that the persons who have to look at these issues have taken a holiday while the companies they lead are operating remotely.

To this day nothing has happened. Mr Doyle Mlangeni first took my matter and failed to escalate. A week later I had to write here again before I got a call from him. He assured me that the matter would be escalated and I'd get a response. Among others, I was informed that should the first lockdown be extended, ithuba would review the current regulations or rules. Another lockdown has come and gone. Still nothing from the ***ards of Ithuba. Since the first lockdown started, only about 55 people won amounts more than R50 000. I do not see how making an effort to pay us would have created commotion in the country since we are certainly from different. Until recently people were still queueing to play lotto, yet they have kept offices closed for 5 weeks. Paying lotto winners could even work out better. It can be arranged in such a way that it doesn't cause any congestion in their offices. As for me, having played via app, I don't see why I cannot be paid electronically. These people are proving heartless. I don't see, especially when a lot of people are in financial distress, why they cannot do something to ensure that winners are paid. It seems like they are only happy because their salaries are intact in spite of employees claiming to be working remotely. The Minister of DTI and others should please step in an ensure that we are paid. This hiding behind rules is unacceptable. To us winners, Ithuba has an essential service to provide us with. The government could reverse the decision on cigarettes in two days because of 2000 people. Am sure the cries of the poor and unemployed lotto winners can be heard as well. I feel like am being bul**** by the attitude of Ithuba. Cannot believe that one is being ignored just like that.

What is most annoying is that I have since written two emails to Me Doyle Mlangeni reminding him of his promises to come back to me, he's choosing to be silent. Only time one gets a reaction from these people is only when one uses this platform.