'I can’t wait to drive past my ex in my new car': R114m Powerball winner

10 February 2020 - 12:49 By Nonkululeko Njilo
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A mother of four from Soweto, who often struggled to pay rent, is now R114m richer.
A mother of four from Soweto, who often struggled to pay rent, is now R114m richer.
Image: Gabriel Petrescu/ 123RF.com

A mother of four from Soweto, who struggled to make ends meet and was dumped because she did not have a fancy job, is relishing the thought of driving past her ex-boyfriend in her new car.

But first, the 35-year-old backroom resident, the latest R114m Powerball jackpot winner, will have to learn to drive and get a licence. 

Lottery operator Ithuba said on Monday that the winner was taking a chance when she played with R5.

It was a long queue which inspired her to do so.

“On my way from work I saw a long queue of people with slips and I knew they must be pursuing something big, even though I had no idea what the jackpot prize was,” she told Ithuba.

“I became curious and searched for some coins in my bag to see if I could also play.”

She purchased a ticket at a cafe in Roodepoort. Speaking of her challenges, she said at times she struggled to make ends meet and sometimes received help from family. 

“Sometimes, I could not afford rent, so my brother would always assist me,” said the blue-collar worker. 

Having won the jackpot, she is planning to stop working and spend time with her children.

“My four children have been staying with my mother back at home and I have never been able to spend as much time with them as I wish since I had to work in Johannesburg,” she said.

“I am mostly grateful that this money will give me an opportunity to raise my children, to be able to take them to school and have the pleasure of preparing a scrumptious meal that they can enjoy when they get back from school, something that I’ve been wishing for for a long time.”   

Among other things, she wants to own a house, build her mother a comfortable home and buy herself a stylish car.

“I can’t wait to drive past my ex-boyfriend in my new car. He will probably faint when he sees me waving at him. He broke up with me because I was broke and didn’t have a fancy job,” she said with a smile.

Of her win, Ithuba said: “Judging by the amount of time the winner spent with both the psychologist and the financial adviser, we are confident that she will make sound financial decisions that will secure her family’s future for generations to come.”.   

It said the Powerball jackpot rolled over 19 times before the winner was found.

It is the sixth-highest jackpot to be won in the history of the South African National Lottery. The highest was R232m in February 2019.


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