HISTORY OF BOARD


MEMBERS OF THE BOARD


Title: Chairperson
Name: Joe Foster
 
Title: Member
Name: Adv. George Negota
 
Title: Member
Name: Henry Makgothi
 
Title: Member
Name: Ms. Nora Fakude-Nkuna
 
Title: Member
Name: Ms. Shelley Thomas
 
Title: Member
Name: Norman Axten
 
The Primary task of the Board immediately after its formation in October 1998 was to establish the National Lottery and the events that comprise this task are presented chronologically below:

  • November 1998
    The Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued in November 1998.

  • November - December 1998
    In order to familiarise itself with the dynamics of the lottery industry and the process of Regulation, the Board undertook study visits in Australia, Central Europe and the United Kingdom

  • December 1998
    An advertisement was placed and candidates were interviewed for the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Board.

  • January 1999
    Bid documents are submitted on 22 January 1999 and the evaluation of bids begin at a secure venue in Waterkloof Ridge, Pretoria

  • February 1999
    The Board affords each bidder the opportunity to make oral presentations and to demonstrate the capabilities of their retail terminals.

  • March 1999
    The Board requests from each of the three bidders a list of international lottery sites that they, the bidders, considered representative of the technology they are proposing for South Africa's first National Lottery.

  • April 1999
    The Board accompanied by consultants from Deloitte Consulting visits the reference sites in Germany, UK and USA.

  • May and June 1999
    The information obtained from the reference site visits is consolidated with the technical analysis, financial analysis and social responsibility analysis already performed, in order to make a decision regarding the relative ranking of the three bids.

    The Board requests and obtains the concurrence of all three bidding consortia to engage an independent audit firm, Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein to review the evaluation process and to establish whether the criteria used for evaluation was applied fairly and impartially to all three bids.

    The Board's recommendation, together with the independent evaluation review and all supporting documentation including probity reports by the National Intelligence Agency and the South African Secret Service, is submitted to Minister Erwin on 23 June 1999.

  • July 1999
    Prof Vevek Ram, a Board Member, is appointed as the first CEO of the National Lotteries Board.

    Minister Alec Erwin announces Uthingo Management (Pty) Ltd as the preferred bidder on 9 July 1999 to operate South Africa's first National Lottery.

    The negotiation of the terms and conditions of the Licence to Operate the National Lottery commences on 12 July 1999.

  • August 1999
    The negotiation process is successfully completed and Minister Erwin formally signs the Licence at a media function at the Funda Centre in Soweto on 26 August 1999.

  • November 1999
    The logo approved by the Board is launched as the National Lottery Logo at a spectacular ceremony on 22 November 1999.

    The Bureau for Market Research at UNISA is commissioned to investigate and clarify the nature of the responses to the Draft Regulations on Promotional Competitions.

  • March 2000
    President Thabo Mbeki launches the National Lottery on the morning of 2 March 2000, with the sale of the first ticket at a retailer terminal in Langa, Cape Town.

    The first live Lotto draw is held on the evening of Saturday, 11 March 2000 and the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alec Erwin presses the button to start the selection of the winning balls.

  • April 2000
    Regulations in respect of Society and Other Lotteries are promulgated. In terms of the regulations, Societies that wish to raise funds through lottery-type competitions have to first register with the National Lotteries Board and comply with requirements of the regulations.

  • May 2000
    The Department of Trade and Industry calls for public nominations for people to serve on the Distributing Agencies for Arts, Culture & National Heritage; Charities; and Sport & Recreation.

  • October 2000
    Applications for Emergency Funding are called for on 8 October and the closing date for applications is set at 30 November.

    Uthingo Management launches Scratchcard Competitions on 16 October. The Quickpick option is introduced on 22 October.

    The study by the Bureau for Market Research is completed and is handed to the Department of Trade and Industry.

  • November 2000
    Minister Erwin appoints the Board to set up offices to provide administrative and management support to the Distributing Agencies.

  • December 2000 and January 2001 Applications for Emergency Funding are considered. The first payment to a beneficiary from Lottery funding is made on 15 December 2000. A total of R4,1m is disbursed to 80 beneficiaries.

    Cabinet approves the nominees to serve on the three Distributing Agencies.

  • February 2001
    The Distributing Agencies meet for the first time to workshop a policy framework.

  • March 2001
    Advertisements calling for applications are published.

  • July 2001
    The first grant from Charities sector is paid. The other two categories follow shortly.

  • March 2001
    By the 31 March 2001, over R200m is allocated to 1 240 beneficiaries.