The National Lottery, stopped at the end of March, appears set to start up again within the next fortnight.
Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa will announce the name of the preferred bidder to run the operation in Pretoria within days, his spokesperson, Vukani Mde, told the South African Press Association on Tuesday.
The actual relaunch date would then depend on the length of negotiations between the new operator and the National Lotteries Board.
Mde said indications were these negotiations ”shouldn’t take more than a week”.
Asked if this meant the lottery might be up and running within a fortnight, he said: ”Exactly.”
Uthingo’s licence to run the National Lottery expired on March 31. Legal wrangling and a review of the licensing process has delayed the announcement of a new operator. — Sapa