National Lotteries Commission updates on grant cycle
South Africa’s National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has released an update on its 2024/25 grant adjudication process. The statement outlines application volumes, compliance challenges, and progress under a new digital system.
In a recent media statement, the Commission confirmed that the 2024/25 Call for Applications opened on 2 December 2024 and closed in December 2025. This confirmation marked the first funding cycle fully administered through the Thuthuka online grant management system.
The Commission introduced the web-based platform to streamline grant applications and improve oversight. It replaces several manual processes that previously slowed submissions and approvals.
Application volumes and adjudication timeline
The Commission received a total of 3,070 compliant applications across all provinces for the 2024/25 funding cycle. Adjudication of these applications commenced in August 2025 and is currently ongoing.
The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) indicated that demand for funding remains strong across the community and non-profit sectors. Organisations continue to seek support for social development initiatives nationwide.
According to the NLC, the system recorded 16,687 registered organisational profiles during the application window. However, approximately 7,000 of these were deemed non-compliant due to unverifiable or incomplete registration details. The compliance issues were particularly linked to requirements from the Department of Social Development, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission and the South African Revenue Service. Incomplete or unverifiable documentation affected eligibility during the assessment stage. This significantly reduced the number of applications progressing to adjudication.
Addressing compliance and capacity gaps
The National Lotteries Commission acknowledged that many non-profit organisations continue to face compliance and capacity challenges. These challenges affect their ability to access funding opportunities.
In response, the Commission has implemented a series of capacity-building initiatives. These include education and awareness sessions held across different provinces. Financial and operational compliance workshops have also been introduced to strengthen governance standards.
Targeted stakeholder engagements are being conducted to address recurring regulatory gaps. Details of upcoming workshops, it said, will be published on the NLC’s official social media platforms. The Commission believes improved compliance will increase successful applications in future cycles.
The Thuthuka system central to turnaround strategy
The statement also highlighted the broader role of the Thuthuka system in centralising grant management. The platform now handles organisational registration, application submissions, business plans and grant agreement management. This integration replaces previously manual processes and aims to reduce administrative bottlenecks. It also provides stronger tracking and oversight capabilities throughout the funding lifecycle.
The National Lotteries Commission said the digital system forms part of its wider turnaround strategy. The strategy focuses on improving efficiency and strengthening transparency across operations. Ensuring the timely processing of grant payments remains a core priority under this reform agenda. The Commission noted that further updates will follow as adjudication progresses.
It stated that it will issue a further update on the adjudication outcomes by 31 March 2026. It will release the update after completing additional phases of the assessment process.
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