By Palesa Nguqu
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has accused Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie of breaking promises to athletes and artists, saying his record reflects neglect, mismanagement and political patronage.
In a sharply worded statement, DA spokesperson Leah Potgieter said McKenzie had turned his back on the industries he vowed to support.
Potgieter said the minister publicly pledged support for major festivals, including the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK), Woordfees, Suidoosterfees, Aardklop, Innibos, Vrystaat Kunstefees and the National Arts Festival. But after existing funding streams were withdrawn, organisers were advised to apply for the Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) fund, only to see their applications rejected.
This has left established festivals with a proven track record of job creation and social impact in an unstable financial position, often with little warning, she said.
Potgieter also alleged that McKenzie stacked the MGE adjudication panel with active Patriotic Alliance members, including his party’s spokesperson and a contact point for festival funding inquiries. This undermined the integrity of the funding process and raised serious questions about political patronage, she said.
The DA also flagged concerns over transparency.
Potgieter said many of the recipients of MGE funding had been deregistered or were in the process of reregistration, suggesting weak oversight or manipulation for political gain.
“It’s unacceptable that funds are being allocated without proper oversight and accountability,” she said.
Further scrutiny revealed inconsistencies in departmental finances. The department’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) allegedly misled parliamentary committees on funding re-allocations, initially denying that funds had been moved.
When pressed on allocations for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) project in South African football – which was not in the original budget – the CFO admitted to authorising re-allocations, without clarifying the legal authority or whether parliament had been informed. This lack of transparency was deeply concerning and suggested a breach of good governance, Potgieter said.
The department announced last week that it had allocated R82 million “from its current budget” for the VAR project.
The DA has issued several demands, including reinstating funding for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Cape Town Carnival and Open Book Festival; full disclosure of all MGE allocations and recipient compliance status; an independent adjudication process free of political party members; a comprehensive report on re-allocations, particularly the VAR project; and a sustainable long-term strategy for arts, culture and sports.
“South Africans deserve leadership that delivers on its promises, not political games and patronage,” Potgieter said, adding that public frustration had deepened over McKenzie’s “grand announcements without delivery”.
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