Kamogelo Seekoei

Kamogelo Seekoei

Lottery fanatics will not have to wait much longer for their favourite game to return as an announcement for the date of the first draw will be made today.

The draw, expected to be next month, will be the first after six months of courtroom battles over who should be the next operator.

Gidani Consortium chairman, Bongani Khumalo yesterday said that the public should expect the lottery soon. He said the public would not have to wait longer than a month to start dreaming of their lucky numbers.

"I think it is safe to say that the first draw will be during October," he said.

Gidani was awarded the tender to operate the lottery last Friday by Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa.

Mpahlwa said that after thorough investigation he had decided that Gidani was still the preferred bidder to operate the lottery.

The lottery was suspended in March by the minister after the Pretoria High Court found "irregularities" in the winning Gidani consortium's bid for the new lottery licence.

The minister was supposed to investigate shareholding by Gidani and Uthingo board members.