Best Valentine’s Day gift ever for Deal or No Deal contestant – a brand-new car!

The special Valentine’s Day episode of the hugely popular SABC 1 game show Deal or No Deal South Africa turned into an emotional rollercoaster ride for compassionate maths teacher Bongani Masilela.

After striking an unfortunate deal of only R52 with the banker, Lady Luck smiled at him. By choosing the correct box between two additional boxes reserved for the show’s themed editions, he received the keys to a flaming red Suzuki S-presso, courtesy of the automobile company Suzuki.

Following the unexpected windfall, Bongani sobbed like a baby, touching the hearts of the Deal or No Deal family – the other 19 contestants, viewers, host Katlego Maboe, and viewers at home.

Bongani, who once dreamt of becoming the country’s first president with a physical disability, entered the show hoping to start building a mathematics school or open a Kasi restaurant backed by a chicken business. Another option was to settle the balance of his honours degree fees and fund his Master’s Degree.

However, during the episode, Bongani also briefly mentioned to Katlego that he was hijacked. An ultimate takeaway of R250,000 would have been one step closer to having his own transport again.

Bongani admits that he was utterly shocked when Katlego revealed that he won a Suzuki.

“I lost the first car I ever had during the hijacking,” Bongani explains. “I knew that knocking off all the high amounts meant I would end up with a low amount, and I made peace with that. Suddenly, I realised you never know how God will lift you up if your heart is in the right place.”

As Bongani’s potential prizemoney decreased before clinching the car, he expressed that he would use the remaining cash to buy pants and necessities for his learners from challenging financial backgrounds.

Bongani believes that people should enter Deal or No Deal South Africa to revive their dreams: “If you publicly express what you want or need in life, you also start pushing yourself to work harder to make these dreams come true. Even if you don’t win the R250,000.”

Deal or No Deal South Africa is produced by Homebrew Films for Primedia Studios and is broadcast daily. The show is proudly sponsored by LottosStar.

LottoStar is licensed by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator. No U18. National Responsible Gambling Programme 0800 006 008. Ts & Cs apply. All games are fixed-odds betting events.