Durban – A KwaZulu-Natal resident has become a multimillionaire after winning the R47.8 million PowerBall PLUS jackpot, Ithuba confirmed on Tuesday.
The winner, who purchased his ticket at Raps Grocery Store for R45 and manually selected his numbers, secured the jackpot in draw number 1601, which took place on Friday, March 28. Overwhelmed by his unexpected fortune, he hid the winning ticket under his mattress for several days before coming forward to claim his prize.
“I always knew I would win someday,” he said. “At this moment, I can’t even think of exactly what I’m going to do with all this money. All I know is that as an unemployed person, I have been yearning to live a better life. I just want to be happy.”
According to Ithuba, the national lottery operator, the winner is unmarried and has no children. He plans to use his newfound wealth to improve his life and help others, starting with a donation to a local church.
CONGRATULATIONS to the lucky #PowerBallPLUS jackpot WINNER who WON a life-changing jackpot of OVER R47 MILLION from the 28/03/25 draw. Players must be 18 years or older, play responsibly. ITHUBA is the proud operator of the National Lottery. #MakeItRainLotsOfCashThisMarch! pic.twitter.com/HTS0kD5AoC
— #PhandaPushaPlay (@sa_lottery) March 31, 2025
Charmaine Mabuza, CEO of Ithuba, praised the winner’s humility and foresight.
“This is the kind of story that reminds us of the life-changing power of the National Lottery. We congratulate our newest multimillionaire and are here to support him every step of the way with trauma counselling and financial advice to help him plan for a secure future.”
Ithuba provides financial guidance and trauma counselling for lottery winners of R50,000 and above. Winnings are paid out within 72 hours of a valid claim, and all National Lottery winnings in South Africa are tax-free.
Lottery players must be 18 years or older to participate. The next PowerBall draw could produce another big winner, Ithuba said.
