Lotto winner, please go claim your R19m before Saturday

Someone in Isipingo, Durban, could be complaining about how broke they are despite being potentially R19 million richer – if only they would just claim their winnings.

The winning ticket was bought at The Pie Train in Isipingo, Durban, in July 2016, and is yet to be claimed. If the winnings are not claimed by Saturday, the cash will be forfeited.

“In case the winnings are not claimed this coming Saturday, the R19.2m will be forfeited and be retained by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund. Winners have one year to claim their winnings in accordance with the National Lottery terms and conditions,” said Ithuba Holdings in a statement.

The ticket matched five numbers in the PowerBall Plus game on July 29.

It seems the lucky ball in currently in KwaZulu-Natal, as just last month, two of the biggest PowerBall and Lotto jackpots were claimed by two men from the province. The two winners from Durban won R58.7 million and R34.4 million respectively.

“The man who bought his ticket from Ladysmith while travelling to Durban could not contain his excitement when he realised that he was the winner of the life-changing R58.7 million PowerBall PLUS jackpot. The winner in his 50s bought his ticket for only R30 and randomly selected his numbers,” Ithuba Holdings said.

One of the winners said he would invest most of his winnings and continue working as he prepared for his retirement.

The second multimillionaire winner from Umlazi, a man in his 30s, was unemployed. He bought his ticket at a Spar in Umlazi where he spent R60 and won the R34.4 million Lotto jackpot.

He said he would invest in property and start a business to ensure that he never has to suffer from poverty again.

Both winners received financial advice, trauma and emotional counselling – it must be nice to get counselling for being rich.