The luck of the draw

Grandmother of five dreams of ‘beautiful life’ and flying after winning R57-million in national lottery

A 63-year-old grandmother of five who can neither read nor write is in a state of disbelief after becoming South Africa’s latest millionaire‚ bagging almost R57m in the national lottery.

Gladys Nchabeleng* said that whenever she played the lotto‚ she randomly selected numbers from rows on the betting sheet.

“I looked at the lotto paper and started writing. I started writing and then wrote on the second line. I cannot even see well. I was just guessing where the numbers are‚” said Nchabeleng.

Wearing a modest dress‚ blue shoes and a doek and with her children around her‚ Nchabeleng said she had religiously played the lotto over the last five to six years.

“I thought since I don’t get a pension‚ some luck may come my way.

“I would joke about how my five rands [that I used to play the lotto] were enriching other people. I would also say that perhaps the lottery is helping other people with this money‚” she said.

Before this‚ the most she had ever won was about R50.

But Nchabeleng said with whatever winnings she had in the past‚ she would use that entire amount to bet on the next lottery game.

Asked about how she discovered she was a winner‚ she said her eldest daughter checked her ticket and one by one the numbers that were being read out matched those on her ticket.

“As she called the numbers out‚ I got up and said ‘God has answered my prayers. We have won the lotto’‚” Nchabeleng said‚ adding that her daughter danced in celebration.

The entire family stayed up that night and did not get a wink of sleep. They travelled to the Ithuba offices the next day to claim their winnings.

Nchabeleng, who bought her ticket in Germiston‚ was still having trouble taking it all in.

“My life will be beautiful.

Iwill be able to go to the best doctors and get good medication‚” she responded when asked how her life would change‚ revealing that she had a chronic illness.

“I will also now get transport to go to town.

“I will get to eat the food that is eaten by other people.

“God has answered my prayers‚” she said.

Until now‚ Nchabeleng had depended on her husband for income.

“My husband had odd jobs. He was the sole provider and he could only buy us mielie meal every now and then. I have not earned a living because of my ill health‚” said Nchabeleng.

Besides getting better medical care and a car‚ Nchabeleng said one of her biggest dreams was to fly. She plans to get on a flight to Cape Town.

She also plans to build houses for each of her five children and enrich the village she is originally from.

“We live in mountains where there are no roads. As the rains come‚ cars cannot pass so I want to fix the roads‚” she said.

But for now‚ this elderly woman says she plans to keep the news of her winnings among her immediate family. ● Not her real name.

As she called the numbers out‚ I got up and said ‘God has answered my prayers. We have won the lotto’