Uthingo is a Zulu word which comes from Uthingo lwe Nkosazana; meaning the Rainbow.
Uthingo Management (Pty) Ltd was the operator of the South African National Lottery until March 2007. It was formed in 1996 to compete for this right amongst a total of three consortia bidding for the licence. Uthingo is not tasked with the allocation of funds to beneficiary organisations, but is instead mandated to raise revenue for the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.
It is a fully Black Economic Empowerment compliant business, with 70% ownership locally, and the remaining 30% being owned by international players who provided the tools and knowledge to run a lottery effectively.
Uthingo lost the bid to renew it's license as the Lotto operator to Gidani after a legal battle and negotiations with the Ministry of Trade and Industry. During that period (March to October 2007) the South African National Lottery was suspended and the first Lotto draw after Gidani took over from Uthingo was on 13th October 2007.

Former Lottery Operator Looks Abroad for Opportunities
PRETORIA, South Africa (November 20 2007) – Uthingo, the former South African National Lottery operator, is reportedly looking abroad for future opportunities...................Subscribers

Former Lottery Operator Insists It is Refunding Multi-Draw Tickets
SOUTH AFRICA (October 19 2007) -- Uthingo chief executive Oupa Monamodi has denied that the company has been unreachable...............Subscribers

Excitement Builds as First Lotto Drawing in Months Draws Near; Uthingo Says it Will Cooperate with Gidani for a Smooth Transition of Lottery Operations
SOUTH AFRICA (October 3 2007) -- This Friday, October 5, lottery players can finally buy tickets for the first Lotto draw under the new management. ..................Subscribers

Lotto Change-Over Creates Confusion
SOUTH AFRICA (September 30, 2007) -- Confusion over the validity of multi-draw Lotto tickets purchased before South Africa's national lottery was suspended in March has ............Subscribers

Lotto Bungle Set to Cost Nearly R1 Billion
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (September 21, 2007) -- According to local media reports the bungling over South Africa’s National Lottery license will cost the National Lotteries Board (NLB) nearly .............Subscribers

National Lotteries Board Issues Statement on Staff Bonuses
SOUTH AFRICA (September 20, 2007) -- Recent reports in the media about performance bonuses to National Lotteries Board staff are riddled with inaccuracies that make the Board question the integrity ..........Subscribers

Calls for Lottery Board to Front Parliament
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (September 18, 2007) – The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for the National Lotteries Board (NLB) to be summoned to Parliament to explain the mismanagement ........Subscribers

South Africa is Still Without a National Lottery
SOUTH AFRICA (September 12, 2007) – According to local media reports, predicting when South Africa’s national lottery will resume is turning into something of a lottery in itself...............Subscribers

Don’t Mention the ‘LOTTO’ -- Minister Ducks Lotto Questions
SOUTH AFRICA (August 29 2007) – According to local media reports if you would like to know when South Africa’s National lotto game is likely to be relaunched, then don't ask Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa – Why? because you are not allowed to.........Subscribers

Lotto Silence is Not Golden
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (August 27, 2007) -- Five months after the suspension of the National Lotto game, Trade and Industry Minister Mpahlwa is yet to announce the date when it is to resume.......Subscribers

Legal Case Could Delay the Announcement of New Lotto Operator
SOUTH AFRICA (August 4, 2007) – The Trade and Industry Department has acknowledged for the first time that a private matter might hamper the issuing of a licence to operate the national lottery..............Subscribers

Lotto Announcement Expected Within Days
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (July 29, 2007) -- An announcement on the country's suspended National Lottery is expected within days, according to Department of Trade and Industry insiders...........Subscribers

Confusion Continues in the SA Lottery Debacle
SOUTH AFRICA (July 18 2007) – Confusion continues in the SA Lottery debacle. According to local media sources the National Lottery Board (NLB) announced today in a statement that people who bought their lotto tickets in advance can now get their long awaited refund........Subscribers

Minister Says Consortium to Run Lottery Already Chosen
PRETORIA, South Africa (July 4, 2007) -- Mandisi Mpahlwa, the trade and industry minister, says it's already been decided which consortium will run the National Lottery...........Subscribers

No Date Set for Lottery Return
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (July 3, 2007) -- The department of trade and industry (DTI) is reported by the local media as saying it is still not clear when the lottery will be back........Subscribers

Second Legal Dispute Delays Lotto Return
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (June 30, 2007) -- According to local media reports a Mr. Ceric Musawenkosi Ndlela has applied in the Johannesburg High Court to prevent the minister, the Lotteries Board and former national lottery operator Uthingo from operating or taking part in any national lottery activities..........Subscribers

Promises, Promises, Promises, Lottery to be up and Running Soon
SOUTH AFRICA (June 26 2007) – We have heard it all before, but according to local media reports Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa told MPs last week that his department was working very hard to get the National Lottery up and running again...........Subscribers

Lotto Back Soon But Casualties Mounting
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (June 23, 2007) -- The South African Lotto should be up and running again very shortly. This is according to Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa, who told MPs this week that the issues would be resolved "in the very near future".........Subscribers

National Lotteries Board Delivers Report To Trade And Industry Minister
SOUTH AFRICA (June 1, 2007) -- I am pleased to say that the National Lotteries Board (NLB) has now delivered to me a report that contains its recommendation regarding  the awarding of the license to operate the National Lottery........Subscribers

Lotto Announcement Imminent
SOUTH AFRICA (May 29, 2007) – The South African Broadcasting Company (SABC) reported today that Mandisi Mpahlwa, the trade and industry minister, told the National Assembly that he will make an announcement about the lottery in the next few days.......Subscribers

Soccer Pools Replace Lotto
SOUTH AFRICA (May 15, 2007) -- One company is not sorry that the National (Lotto) Lottery has been suspended. According to local new sourcses JSE-listed Phumelela Gaming & Leisure, the company which runs Soccer 6 pools, confirmed yesterday that their turnover for the latter had risen sharply over the past six weeks.........Subscribers

Lotto Saga Continues; Judge Postpones Lottery Court Application
PRETORIA, South Africa (May 14, 2007) – The Pretoria High Court has postponed indefinitely an application by losing lottery bidder, Igwija Gaming, to obtain detailed information from the National Lotteries Board about its decision making process........Subscribers

Lottery Remains in Limbo, Board Under 'Extreme Pressure'
SOUTH AFRICA (May 10 2007) – According to local media reports there is still no clarity on when the national lottery, suspended since the end of March, will be back up and running........Subscribers

Lottery Board Back In Court, Igwija Syndicate Seeks Documents Under FOI
PRETORIA, South Africa (May 7, 2007) – The Igwija Gaming syndicate, one of the losing bidders for the SA National Lottery license, has reportedly taken court action to obtain detailed information from the Lotteries Board about its decision making process...........Subscribers

Mid-June Date For New Lottery Operator Is Now Uncertain
SOUTH AFRICA (May 5, 2007) -- Gidani, the consortium that lost the SA National Lottery licence following a court appeal by former operator Uthingo.........Subscribers

Process To Find New Lotto Operator Continues
SOUTH AFRICA (April 30, 2007) -- The process of finding a new national lottery operator is still underway, the South African Press Association (SAPA) reports the department of trade and industry (DTI) as saying.......Subscribers

Lottery Decision Pushed Out To June
SOUTH AFRICA (April 30 2007) -- The National Lotteries Board (NLB) has reportedly asked the department of trade and industry to postpone the decision of who will win the license to operate the National lottery until the middle of June, to give it more time to ensure the selection procedures were properly executed..........Subscribers

Government Criticized For Suspending National Lotto Game
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (April 29, 2007) – According to local media reports the opposition is turning up the heat on the government over its suspending the National Lotto game.........Subscribers

NLB Asks For Extension of the Deadline to Resolve Lottery Crisis
SOUTH AFRICA (April 26 2007) – The department of trade and industry confirmed that the National Lotteries Board (NLB) had asked for an extension of the deadline to complete investigations of the four preferred bidders for the licence to run the National lottery.......Subscribers

New Lottery Operator To Be Announced Next Month
SOUTH AFRICA (April 19, 2007) -- The department of trade and industry will announce which consortium will be the new lotto operator by the beginning of next month........Subscribers

Timetable for Lottery Decision Still on Track - Minister Says
SOUTH AFRICA (April 15 2007) -- According to Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa an announcement concerning the awarding of a licence to run the SA National Lottery is still on track within the "about one month" period promised..........Subscribers

Lottery Decision Could be Months Away
SOUTH AFRICA (April 6, 2007) -- According to a local media report South Africa’s National Lottery could be suspended for much longer than the month Trade & Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa announced recently......Subscribers

Gidani Ready to Operate The National Lottery of South Africa
ATHENS, Greece (April 2, 2007) -- According to the statements of the Minister of Trade and Industry of South Africa, the re-examination process of the shareholding structure of the applicants for the award of the new National Lottery License of South Africa..........Subscribers

National Lotteries Board Issues Press Release Concerning Prize Payments
SOUTH AFRICA (March 31, 2007) -- The National Lotteries Board, after noting in the media Uthingo Management’s comments that they will not pay prizes after their licence to operate the National Lottery expires...........Subscribers

Lottery Operator 'Will Pay Out Prizes As Usual'
PRETORIA, South Africa (April 1, 2007) – Uthingo will continue to pay out National Lottery winners despite the fact that its licence to operate expired at midnight on Saturday......Subscribers

National Lottery Suspended
PRETORIA, South Africa (April 1, 2007) – According to local media reports Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said there will be no licensed operator authorised to conduct the national lottery for one month........Subscribers

Call For Lottery Licence to be Extended
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (March 27, 2007) – Uthingo Management's contract as the national lottery operator expires within five days, following the Pretoria High Court's reversal of the Trade and Industry Minister’s decision to award the licence to the Gidani consortium.............Subscribers

Lottery Deadline Looms
SOUTH AFRICA (March 27 2007) -- With the lottery deadline only days away, the department of trade and industry and the National Lotteries Board are still not saying how they intend to resolve the Lottery fiasco.........Subscribers

Lotto Operator Sued for Allegedly Failing to Honour Service Agreement
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (March 25, 2007) -- National lottery operator Uthingo is reportedly facing a multimillion-rand lawsuit after allegedly failing to honour a service agreement they entered into with an IT specialist..........Subscribers

Calls to Extend Lottery Licence
SOUTH AFRICA (March 13 2007) -- United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa has been reported as saying Uthingo's licence to operate the national lottery should be extended by three to six months while the dispute about the new licence is resolved.........Subscribers

Minister May Challenge High Court Ruling to Set Aside Lottery Decision
DURBAN, South Africa (march 12, 2007) – Uthingo management’s board is reported by the local media to be concerned that Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa plans to challenge a Pretoria High Court ruling to set aside the appointment of the Gidani consortium as the national lottery operator.......Subscribers

Uthingo Wins Review Application
SOUTH AFRICA (March 5, 2007) -- Uthingo Management has been successful in its application to the Pretoria High Court to order the Minister of Trade and Industry to review the process he followed in awarding the new lottery licence.
Review proceedings were instituted by Uthingo because it was dissatisfied with the manner in which the decision was made by the Minister to appoint Gidani as the new licensee.
Says Uthingo’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Oupa Monamodi, “We are pleased that the outcome of the court case has vindicated our decision to request for a review of the licensing process.”
SOURCE: Uthingo media release.

Court Sets Aside Decision To Award Lottery Licence To Gidani Consortium
PRETORIA, South Africa (March 5, 2007) --The Pretoria High Court on Monday set aside Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mphahlwa's decision to award the National Lottery licence to the Gidani consortium........Subscribers

Lottery Battle Turns Ugly
SOUTH AFRICA (February 24, 2007) – The battle over the running of the South African National Lottery turned ugly this week, with incumbent operator Uthingo accusing Trade and Industry Minister of ignoring proper procedures and political bias....................Subscribers

Incumbent Operator Challengers Minister Over Lottery Decision
SOUTH AFRICA (February 22, 2007) -- Incumbent lottery operator Uthingo yesterday accused Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa of not satisfying himself that the investigation into the probity of new lottery operator Gidani was properly undertaken........Subscribers

Lottery Appeal Suffers Set Back Over Share Holding Allegations
SOUTH AFRICA (February 21, 2007) -- Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa yesterday reportedly told the Pretoria High Court that Uthingo was ruled out of contention for the new SA National Lottery License because Education Minister Naledi Pandor had shares in a company with a stake in Uthingo........Subscribers

New Lottery Operator Awards Tender to Roll-Out Over 9000 Lotto Terminals
SOUTH AFRICA (February 6, 2007) -- Payment processing specialist Ventury Group has reportedly won the lucrative tender to roll-out more than 9,000 lotto terminals across the country for new national lottery operator Gidani.......Subscribers

Joint Venture Awarded SA Lottery Contract
SOUTH AFRICA (February 5, 2007) – Ngikwazi (Zulu for “I am able”) Field Marketing, a new joint venture between Avocado Vision and Can Do, was recently awarded a lottery contract by Gidani, the new lottery operator as of April 1, 2007............Subscribers

Wrangle Over Lottery Licence Heads For Court
SOUTH AFRICA (January 24, 2007) -- A court solution to the decision by the National Lotteries Board (NLB) to award the national lottery licence to the Gidani consortium now seems likely after losing bidder Uthingo ......Subscribers

New Lottery Operator Gearing-Up for Launch
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (January 22, 2007) – According to local media reports the Gidani consortium will spend R300 million on infrastructure and other services as it gears up to take over from Uthingo, the first SA lotto operator..........Subscribers

Lottery Board Warns On Festive Scam
SOUTH AFRICA (December 1, 2006) -- The man accused by the National Lottery Board (NLB) of defrauding non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has denied the allegation..............Subscribers

Memorial To Be Held For Lotto Pioneer
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (October 31, 2006) -- A memorial service for lotto pioneer Humphrey Khoza who was killed in a car accident would be held on Wednesday................Subscribers

Former Lotto Head Killed In Car Accident
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (October 28, 2006) -- South African businessman Humphrey Khoza has died in a car accident............................Subscribers

On-Line Lotto Ticket Agent Loses Court Battle
SOUTH AFRICA (October 06 2006) -- The Pretoria High Court is reported to have interdicted On-Line Lottery Services from infringing and passing off its business by using the trademark LottoFun............................Subscribers

Licence To Operate National Lottery Awarded
SOUTH AFRICA (October 4, 2006) -- The licence to operate the South African National Lottery has been awarded to Gidani Ltd, Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa announced..........................Subscribers

Calls for Lotto Licence Decision to be Revisited
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (September 30, 2006) -- According to local media reports pressure is being applied to the trade and industry department to reverse its decision and renew the incumbent lottery operator’s (Uthingo) contract..................................Subscribers

High-Profile ANC Figures Win Lotto; Figure Prominently In Company That Will Run The National Lottery
SOUTH AFRICA (September 11, 2006) -- The shareholding structure in the Gidani consortium, which won the bidding to run the SA National Lottery, has been a closely guarded secret, but........Subscribers

Government Announces Preferred Bidder for National Lottery
SOUTH AFRICA (August 1, 2006) -- Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa has reportedly announced the Consortium to run the National Lottery for the next seven years.............Subscribers

Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa announces the preferred bidder for the National Lottery
SOUTH AFRICA (July 31, 2006) -- The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Mandisi Mpahlwa today announced the preferred bidder to run the National Lottery...........Subscribers

Study Shows Lottery Play Increasing Over the Last Two years
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (July 4, 2006) – A national problem gambling prevalence study conducted over the past year by the National Centre for the Study of Gambling found that 81.5 percent of South Africans play the lottery at least once a week, up from.....................................Subscribers

Another Lottery Scam Identified
SOUTH AFRICA (June 29, 2006) -- Another lottery scam has been brought to the attention of Uthingo Management, the licensed operator of South Africa’s National Lottery................................Subscribers

Lottery Retailers Want to be Reimbursed for Out-of-Pocket Expenses
EASTERN CAPE, South Africa (May 17, 2006) -- Retailers who sell tickets in the Eastern Cape for the National Lottery have reportedly claimed that they are being paid too little for a service which makes them a target............................Subscribers

Lottery License Bid is Shrouded in Secrecy, Why?
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (April 23, 2006) – The license to run the South African lottery is up for review. The current license is held by Uthingo Management, which is a consortium consisting of powerful local South African empowerment groups and international lottery companies................................Subscribers

Sportstake - Love the Game, Win the Game, Watch the Game!
SOUTH AFRICA (April 19, 2006) -- With “laduuuuma’ on the lips and a vuvuzela in the hand, six lucky soccer fans could soon be heading for Germany to watch the World Cup quarter finals.........................Subscribers

SA Lottery Celebrates Sixth Birthday
SOUTH AFRICA (March 4, 2006) – The South African Lottery turned six on Thursday. On March 2, 2000 the first Lotto ticket was bought by in Langa, Cape Town, in the presence of President Thabo Mbeki..............................Subscribers

Claim Your Lottery Money - It's the Wise Thing to do
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa. (January 24, 2006) -- Several potential millionaires lost the chance to live the rest of their lives in the lap of luxury by not checking their lottery tickets and claiming Jackpot prizes...............................Subscribers