Eight lucky winners!

The Win A House competition was drawn at Turffontein Racecourse on Sunday and there were eight delighted winners who won new houses courtesy of TAB and Betting World.

Sowetan managed to get hold of three of the winners.

Charles Shabalala said he was unemployed and spends much of his time at the Pavilion at Turffontein racecourse.

“I love winning man, I've been struggling, I have no job, this has become my job. I would like to assure you, my struggling doesn’t mean I'm hopeless, I live in a house here at Turffontein with my wife and kids, we're happy and I can afford them plenty. One of my kids is a teacher and the other is in Grade 8. I brought her to the course on Saturday.”

He also got the bonus for having a Telebet account. “I’ve always had one but this was all the more reason to have one, getting money just for having an account? I feel like all the years spent winning and losing money has finally paid off, and what a way to win big!

“The house, we’ll love it,” he chuckled. “The R50,000 will go towards furniture and the R10,000 for being on track will be spent on family.”

Simphiwe Pato was over the moon to hear the news. “I’m in shock, I can't believe this, this will without a shadow of a doubt change my life.”

During the call his family was screaming in excitement. “You should see the conditions some of us live under in Khayelitsha. Life is hard, but not just for me. This will change my life forever, owning property in this day and age is hard. I feel blessed. My two kids will have a home they can be proud of. Our prayers have finally been answered.”

He added that he’s been punting for about five years.

“I'm still learning. However, I do play a lot and Richard Fourie has been the man I’ve followed religiously, he hardly lets me down”

How did if feel finding out he had won? “Confusing, my hearing stopped. Then I realised the surname was spelled wrong so, I thought I've just lost the opportunity of a life time.”

M S Mzadume had been at home when he found out he had won. “I was watching the Summer Cup at home. I was elated, I pinched myself. I nearly died running around the house, I wanted to share the news but my wife was out shopping.

“I only put in about 30 entries so I still can't believe it because apparently 2.1 million people entered. “God is great, I've always been lucky, I once won R152,000 with a R6 Lotto ticket, which I put into a deposit for a house. My wife and I were planning to save for another house and this competition has brought it to me.

“I went to a branch and told some of the workers there that their bosses were going to gift me with a house and Lord behold I won.

“I spoke it into existence,” he laughed.

The winners are: Charles Shabalala (GP) Sabelo Sithole (GP) Johannes Ntshapodi (NW) Simphiwe Pato (CT) M.S. Mzadume (EC) Makula Molathegi (NW) Mr Mavikela T.P. Hlabhlaba