ITHUBA: Redefining the National Lottery Through Responsible Storytelling and Innovation

In a world where hope often comes in small doses, the lottery has long been a unique blend of chance, excitement, and possibility. Beyond the thrill of winning, lotteries hold the power to spark dreams, fund community projects, and drive social change. In South Africa, the National Lottery has become more than just a game of luck; it is a vehicle for transformation, connecting millions of people with opportunities that extend far beyond a ticket.

Led by a vision of trust and transformation, ITHUBA continues to prove that lotteries can change lives. As the operator of the South African National Lottery, ITHUBA has redefined what it means to run a purpose-driven lottery. With innovation and integrity at its core, the Operator has championed responsible gaming, digital transformation, and life-changing community impact, all under the visionary leadership of Group CEO Charmaine Mabuza. 

Supporting this mission, is the Marketing and Corporate Affairs department, headed by Michelle van Trotsenburg, whose role reflects the vision set out by ITHUBA’s Group CEO and the Executive committee. At the helm of marketing, Michelle van Trotsenburg and her team translate this vision into storytelling that connects millions of South Africans to the hope and opportunity presented by the National Lottery.

ITHUBA’s Purpose-Driven Approach to Growth

At ITHUBA, the role of Marketing and Corporate Affairs holds a unique distinction because it sits at the crossroads of entertainment, regulation, and social impact. This is a distinct factor that Michelle and her team have learnt to apply in all marketing campaigns. Unlike traditional marketing roles that focus primarily on awareness, sales, or loyalty, marketing at the National Lottery carries the added responsibility of safeguarding public trust, ensuring transparency, and reinforcing the Lottery’s place as a vital national institution that transforms lives and communities.

“Our CEO, Charmaine Mabuza, has always emphasised that the Lottery is not about selling tickets, it’s about building a platform of hope and empowerment,” says van Trotsenburg.

What makes it even more unique is the pace and intensity. Jackpots can roll over overnight, and within hours the marketing team must conceptualise and execute campaigns that are bold, creative, and fully compliant with strict regulations. Few sectors demand such agility while operating under the close eye of millions of South Africans who engage daily.

Equally important for ITHIBA, is the purpose behind the work. Beyond entertainment, the National Lottery directly contributes to good causes and community development. Since 2015, under the leadership of trailblazer CEO Charmaine Mabuza, ITHUBA has generated over R16 billion for the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund. Every National Lottery campaign ITHUBA leads is not just about creating excitement but also about creating impact, showing South Africans that the Lottery is both a source of hope and a driver of change. This combination of speed, scale, and societal responsibility makes the role of Marketing not only unique, but deeply rewarding.

Collaboration That Drives Ethical Creativity

Balancing creativity and compliance in the National Lottery sector is an art form that ITHUBA has perfected. Creativity fuels participant engagement, while compliance ensures credibility and responsibility as custodians of the Lottery; and the world has been watching the stellar performance of this Operator and its fast paced and innovative approach to marketing.

ITHUBA began receiving international recognition for its performance as early as 2016, within a year of taking over operations of the South African National Lottery. In 2017, the World Lottery Association named ITHUBA as one of the top five lotteries globally, highlighting its rapid rise and strong performance on the international stage. A more recent milestone came in 2024, when ITHUBA won the WLA Best Responsible Gaming Advertising Award. Competing against leading international operators, this recognition celebrated the strength of proudly South African innovation and creativity, proving that local cultural insight can continue to set global benchmarks.

At ITHUBA, compliance is not a barrier, but a collaboration. Compliance experts are engaged from the very start of the creative process, ensuring campaigns are bold yet responsible, imaginative yet ethical. This integrated approach ensures that marketing efforts uphold the highest standards while still capturing the excitement and imagination of the public.

ITHUBA Sets Global Benchmarks in Responsible Advertising

Guided by the visionary leadership of ITHUBA CEO, Charmaine Mabuza, who constantly pushes her team to deliver extraordinary results, the marketing department was tasked with conceptualising an inclusive, rewarding, and far-reaching campaign. Rising to the challenge, Michelle and her team brought to life the ITHUBA Open Verse Challenge. Among the many initiatives Michelle has spearheaded, this campaign stands out as one of the most impactful. Created to celebrate ITHUBA as the proud Operator of the South African National Lottery, it successfully partnered with iconic South African artists while inviting the public to contribute their own lyrics.

The result was a campaign that resonated as both aspirational and inclusive, reflecting ITHUBA’s unique role in bringing people together through creativity and opportunity. The numbers speak to its success. The campaign achieved 1.6 billion impressions overall, including 1.18 billion on the X app, 463 million reach, 14.1 million TikTok views, 7.45 million views on X, and over 100,000 interactions. This digital-first campaign not only set a new benchmark for South African marketing but also positioned ITHUBA as more than a National Lottery operator, an organization deeply attuned to cultural relevance and capable of delivering measurable impact at scale.

Michelle also credits ITHUBA’s agility for the campaign’s success. Her team was able to release new assets overnight in response to jackpot rollovers, ensuring the campaign remained dynamic and relevant throughout its run. This ability to merge creativity, responsiveness, and cultural insight is what continues to set ITHUBA apart in the marketplace.

 Evolving into a Digital First Brand

When ITHUBA took over operations in 2015, the National Lottery  was still weighted toward traditional channels. Digitisation of the National Lottery has always been central to ITHUBA’s strategy, elevating the South African National Lottery to a global standard. The role of marketing has been to earn the trust of participants in this innovative approach. Through excellent campaigns and structured communication, more than 60 percent of National Lottery ticket sales are now digital. Participants are spoiled for choice with multiple ways to play. They can purchase tickets in-store, on digital platforms, or through the banking platforms of Absa, FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Old Mutual, African Bank, Tyme Bank, and Capitec, as well as via USSD. This digital-first mindset has transformed the National Lottery into a brand that feels modern, connected, and trustworthy, reaching South Africans wherever and however they choose to play.

Above all, consumer and Lottery participants’ trust remains paramount. As the National Lottery operator, ITHUBA carries a unique responsibility. Michelle believes that any misstep could erode confidence, which is why she and her team hold themselves to the highest ethical and creative standards. Every campaign must excite while also reassuring, ensuring that the Lottery continues to be seen as both trustworthy and inspiring. It is through such campaigns that ITHUBA has earned the reputation of being the top operator in everything, from delivering the highest pay-outs to offering record-breaking jackpots.

Cultivating a Culture of Ownership and Growth

For Michelle, leadership begins with setting the tone, but she is quick to credit the broader leadership at ITHUBA for creating the foundation on which her department thrives. The CEO’s impeccable leadership, together with the Executive Committee, cascades down to the heads of departments, including marketing. It is because of this strong leadership and the culture it fosters at ITHUBA that the marketing team is able to perform at such a high level. Within this framework, Michelle leads by example, demonstrating the very qualities she expects from her team. If innovation, accountability, and agility are the standard, she ensures her own actions reflect them, while encouraging her team to take risks, knowing that even if a campaign does not land as expected, the lessons learned are invaluable.

ITHUBA has nurtured a culture of shared ownership. Every team member understands not only their individual tasks but also the broader purpose of building a brand that brings joy and contributes to society. This collective sense of purpose fuels accountability and pride in their work.

Growth, as Michelle explains, comes through mentorship and continuous learning. Michelle has had the privilege of mentoring many talented marketers both at ITHUBA and in the broader industry. Her goal is to unlock potential, give her team the confidence to innovate, and provide the structure needed to deliver consistently at a high level.

The Bridge Between Brand and Business

Michelle sees alignment as the key to effective marketing strategy. Every initiative must serve two masters: strengthening brand equity and achieving business objectives. Insights, she explains, are the bridge between these priorities.

At ITHUBA, this approach has proven successful. Early on, Michelle recognised that participants wanted more than just a ticket. They wanted seamless, digital-first engagement. Acting on that insight, her team prioritized banking app partnerships and mobile-friendly campaigns, which drove significant revenue growth.

Listening to retailers was equally important. When retailers expressed the need to offer players more value, ITHUBA introduced campaigns with second-chance win opportunities. This not only gave participants extra reasons to play but also strengthened results for both retailers and the Lottery.

For Michelle, insights must always translate into strategies that are both creative and commercially impactful, ensuring sustainable growth across all touchpoints.

Hope, Belonging, and the Power of Brand

Michelle’s experience with leading multinational companies shaped her perspective on brand building and participant engagement in profound ways. Two lessons stand out: consistency is essential, and local nuance matters.

Global brands succeed because their messaging is clear, consistent, and reinforced across every channel. Yet even the best global campaigns must be tailored to resonate with local audiences in meaningful ways. For Michelle, the balance between global excellence and local relevance has become a guiding principle throughout her career.

At ITHUBA, she applies these lessons daily, under the leadership of the CEO and Executive team.  Running a National Lottery is about much more than selling tickets. It is about creating moments of hope and belonging. Campaigns under her leadership reflect this by combining world-class execution with deep cultural resonance. The result is a brand that is globally competitive in quality yet proudly rooted in South African creativity, culture, and resilience.

The Leadership Formula Behind Michelle’s Rise

Looking back on her career, Michelle attributes her rapid growth and leadership opportunities to three qualities: agility, resilience, and vision. She learned early on that in order to succeed in demanding environments such as fast-moving consumer goods and entertainment, one must adapt faster than circumstances change.

Resilience has also been vital. Campaigns do not always unfold as planned, and there are moments of intense pressure where timelines are tight, and expectations are high. Instead of retreating, Michelle leaned into those moments, using them as opportunities to prove her ability to deliver.

Finally, she emphasizes vision, the ability to see beyond today’s campaign and understand how it contributes to long-term brand reputation and loyalty. This mindset opened doors to leadership opportunities at a young age and remains central to her role at ITHUBA today.

She balances instinct with data, accountability with speed, and short-term excitement with long-term brand equity. That combination has fueled her success and continues to guide National Lottery marketing into new territory.

ITHUBA’s Campaigns: Turning Purpose into Participation

Michelle’s journey into marketing was born from her fascination with the psychology of consumer choice. From the outset, she sought to understand what made people connect with a brand, a product, or even a story. Marketing, for her, became the perfect space to merge creativity with strategy, and it soon proved to be her true calling.

But Michelle is quick to recognise that her growth and impact have been amplified by ITHUBA’s open-minded leadership and uncompromising pursuit of excellence. To be entrusted with leading marketing – the lifeblood of any organisation – at a company that accepts nothing less than extraordinary results is both an immense responsibility and a privilege. For her, this trust is a daily reminder that she is not only good at what she does, but also fortunate to serve in an environment that values bold ideas, inclusivity, and measurable impact.

At ITHUBA, Michelle believes her purpose has found its fullest expression. The Lottery is not simply about selling tickets; it is about safeguarding belief in a transparent, transformative institution. That deeper sense of purpose, enabled by ITHUBA’s vision and openness, continues to inspire her every day.

Playbook for Future Marketing Leaders

Michelle’s advice to aspiring marketing leaders is grounded in curiosity, purpose, and balance. She encourages them to stay curious, because marketing evolves daily and requires constant learning and adaptation. She also emphasizes leading with purpose, reminding future leaders that the most impactful campaigns are those that stand for something bigger than the product.

Equally important is the balance between creativity and discipline. A brilliant idea has little value if it is not executed flawlessly and fails to deliver results.

Above all, Michelle believes marketing is a team sport. Success comes not only from individual brilliance but from surrounding oneself with talented people, empowering them, and celebrating their achievements. In her view, that is how lasting impact is built.

Mission Beyond the Lottery

ITHUBA’s purpose, integrity, and collaborative approach continue to drive meaningful impact across Africa. From funding life-changing community projects to championing responsible gaming and digital innovation, the organization has achieved significant milestones. With operations now expanding into Uganda, Tanzania, and beyond, ITHUBA is demonstrating what an African-born lottery operator can achieve through technology, vision, and purpose-led leadership. The journey ahead promises even greater growth, wider reach, and continued transformation for communities across the continent.