On Saturday May 4, the National Lottery Operator, ITHUBA, announced that there was a LOTTO winner who bagged over R79 million. The winner purchased her ticket in Ottery, Cape Town and used the Quick Pick selection method with a R30 wager, on what she later found out was a winning ticket.
Elated over her new fortunes, she had this to say: “After buying my ticket, I put it in my purse and forgot about it. A few days ago while at the shop, I decided to check if the ticket had won anything. My heart started pounding when the cashier told me that I had to go to the National Lottery office to claim my winnings – she also did not know how much I had won. When I arrived at the National Lottery office, I was told that I was the winner of the R79 million LOTTO jackpot!”
Overcome with joy, she shared the significant change this money was going to bring to her life and the lives of those close her heart.
“I want to buy a house with a big yard where my adopted grandson can run around safely and freely. My daughter and I adopted this baby boy when he was just 5 days old after he was living with his mother on the streets – we wanted to give him a better chance at life.
“I am so grateful that he can now have a good life and receive the best education there is to offer. I also want my 24-year-old daughter to resign from her job as a call-centre agent and go study towards a Psychology Degree, as she has always wanted to."
The winner also said that now that she can afford to, she plans to invest in better quality health care, including a dietician. She says that this is something that she has always wanted for years along with building a children’s haven, to help take care of distressed children.
The winner told ITHUBA that she wanted to give R2 million to one more important person she has met along the way – a petrol attendant from her local petrol station.
“I have been going to the same petrol station for years, and there has always been this young man who is polite and very helpful. His excellent service has never changed in any way over the years, we have even become friends and chat every time I go there to fill up my car. I have always wished to help make his life better in any way, and I now have an opportunity to do so. I know this money will make a huge difference in his life”, she said.
The winner utilised ITHUBA’s psychological counselling and financial advice offered to winners of R50 000 and above.