no integrity left in their games

I have already lodged complaints directly with Ithuba, but it feels like consumers are being brushed off. For example, yesterday’s PowerBall results were nowhere to be found on the official Ithuba website. That alone raises serious concerns. I strongly believe there’s something suspicious going on — especially since many poor South Africans rely on the “luck of the draw,” yet lately it seems like it’s just the luck of no win for them.

I play PowerBall regularly — around 4,000 boards per draw — not because I’m desperate to win, but because I’ve always believed that part of the proceeds help poor communities. If I ever did win, a large portion would go to those in need. But after what I’ve seen recently, including what’s circulating on social media about Ithuba, I no longer feel confident that integrity remains in their system.

The Lottery keeps repeating the phrase “Ensure integrity,” but there is no integrity left in their games. They also keep insisting that “no human interferes with the system,” but I find that very hard to believe. If Ithuba truly values integrity, they should bring back the old draw machines.

This digital lottery setup feels like a way to control the outcomes — rolling over jackpots repeatedly until enough revenue is made before finally declaring a winner. And even then, one must question whether there’s a real person winning those jackpots, as opposed to only small payouts being distributed.

Recently, the drawn numbers between PowerBall and PowerBall Plus have looked almost identical. That’s one of the reasons I stopped playing PowerBall — the patterns are too similar to dismiss as coincidence. At this point, it feels like people have a better chance of winning by not playing at all.

Given the reported ticket sales, it’s hard to understand how there can be so many rol*****s and so few major payouts.

Even the lottery machines at retailers are outdated and slow. Whether you’re buying tickets or checking winnings, it takes forever for machines to process or print. They seem to be running on technology as old as Windows 95. Many retailers’ terminals are offline more often than online — yet Ithuba still expects consumers to be patient with this unreliable system.

Not everyone plays through banking apps either. On one occasion, I waited three days for FNB to notify me of my winnings, only for them to blame the delay on Ithuba’s system.

So, what is really happening behind the scenes? I no longer believe South Africa’s Lottery is a game of chance. Too many questionable issues keep surfacing, and it’s becoming clear that the public’s trust is being exploited.

Below is a copy of the letter I sent to Ithuba:

Date: 27 September 2025

To: The Management, Ithuba National Lottery Head Office

Subject: Formal Complaint – Refusal to Scan Valid PowerBall Tickets / Breach of Consumer Rights

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am lodging a formal complaint regarding the unacceptable treatment I received when attempting to validate and claim my PowerBall tickets.

On several occasions, at Pick n Pay, Checkers, and Spar, I presented a stack of valid tickets for scanning. Each store refused to process them, claiming the machines were “too slow” and that scanning all my tickets would “take too much time.” I was effectively denied my right to validate my winnings.

This behavior is unprofessional and constitutes a breach of duty by Ithuba and its retail partners. Retailers who operate as National Lottery vendors are legally obligated to provide the full lottery service, including validation of all tickets — not selectively or at their convenience.

Key Points:

I have valid winnings that I was prevented from claiming. This amounts to a violation of my consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, which guarantees fair access to paid services. The excuse that “machines are too slow” is unacceptable. If Ithuba’s systems cannot handle high volumes, that’s a systemic failure that must be fixed immediately.

I therefore request that Ithuba:

Investigate this matter urgently and hold all non-compliant retailers accountable. Enforce compliance requiring all valid tickets to be scanned without exception. Implement an alternative process for high-volume players (e.g., bulk-scan service, dedicated counter, or central verification system). Confirm how I can have my tickets scanned and winnings processed without further obstruction.

If this is not resolved promptly, I will escalate my complaint to the National Consumer Commission (NCC) and other oversight bodies, as this denial of service violates my consumer rights.

I trust Ithuba will address this issue seriously and provide a written response within seven business days outlining corrective action.