CT cleaner not PowerBall winner
2010-02-15 23:10
Cape Town - Cape Town cleaner Stanley Philander isn't the winner of the PowerBall jackpot of over R91m, says the National Lottery Board (NLB).
Die Son newspaper reported on Sunday that Philander, 52, a hearing impaired man who apparently works in a hardware store in Wynberg, was the country's latest instant millionaire.
However, NLB chief executive Vevek Ram said on Monday that someone else had pocketed the mega prize, adding that the punter prefers to remain anonymous. Where the winning ticket was bought, has also not been revealed.
In hiding
Photos were published on Monday of Philander, his wife, Diana, 50, who is also hearing impaired, and their two children, Logan, 9, and Kirsten, 6. According to reports they had been swamped by family and friends who wanted to share in their wealth.
As a result they are now hiding in an unknown place. Attempts to find them on Monday were unsuccessful.
The three hardware stores in Wynberg denied that Philander works for them.
Thembi Tulwana, spokesperson for the national lottery operator Gidani, said on Monday afternoon that Philander did not contact Gidani.
Tulwana said Gidani hadn't disclosed the winner's name. It is not clear how the story about Philander's "big win" spread.
Anonymous
According to Sershan Naidoo, spokesperson for the National Lottery Board, the licence makes provision for winners to remain anonymous should they choose to do so, and the operator is responsible for ensuring that all the licence requirements are met.
Gidani said in a statement on Saturday that trained people help winners to handle their sudden wealth.
Winners of "big prizes" are entitled to "informed financial advice". The operator, in this case Gidani, pays for the advisors.
"Financial advice sessions focus on how to invest the prize money, as well as supplying useful information about banking services, investment programmes and tax."
