SA lotto winner and Taxi driver keeps his LOTTO loot
Posted 1 Apr 2003
A Cullinan taxi driver does not need to share his lotto jackpot of over
R3,2-million with his boss of more than 17 years, the Pretoria High Court
ordered.
While Ramaila Mmakola beamed after obtaining judgment in his favour, he was
adamant that the friendship with his taxi-owner boss was something of the past.
"I am happy with the outcome, but our friendship is over," was all Mmakola
would say.
His boss, Mareku George Matlala, now has to give back his "share" - R1 621 016.
He declined to comment on his misfortune.
Judge Phineas Mojapelo said Matlala did not prove that an oral contract existed
between him and Mmakola, in which the latter was obliged to share his lotto
winnings with his boss.
The judge pointed out that the agreement which Matlala seemed to rely on was
that they would choose their numbers for the week together. It is clear from
the evidence that Matlala did not play a part in choosing the winning numbers
for the draw on January 12 last year. In fact, the judge said, Matlala was not
aware what the numbers were until after the draw.
Matlala earlier testified that he and his former employee always played the
lotto together and bought the tickets with the proceeds of his taxi business.
The agreement was that whoever won, would share equally with the other, he
said.
Mmakola told the court he and Matlala never had an agreement to share the
winnings. He normally played R5 on the draw, but when he took out his winnings
numbers he spent R12,50. This was his R12,50 and not his boss's, Mmakola said.
Cape Times
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