By Thapelo Molefe
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has dismissed claims that South Africa has been beaten by Rwanda in the race to host a Formula One (F1) Grand Prix, saying the country is still working towards securing a place on the calendar in 2028 or 2029.
McKenzie said South Africa’s bid remained on track, with the government working towards providing the financial guarantees required by F1 before President Cyril Ramaphosa travels to Abu Dhabi on 4 December to meet with representatives of the motorsport series.
“We are at a stage where you must come up with a guarantee from government. Once you’ve come up with a guarantee, we will then get what is the next step from F1,” McKenzie said during a briefing on Wednesday.
He said the government needed to provide a guarantee totalling R2.3 billion before the 4 December deadline, warning that the bid would not progress without it.
“Without that guarantee, it’s dead in the water,” he said.
McKenzie’s comments come after Rwanda secured a place on the F1 calendar for 2030, prompting debate about South Africa’s efforts to bring the sport back to the country.
However, the minister said Rwanda’s success did not mean South Africa had lost its opportunity, adding that the two countries were pursuing different timelines.
“I want to congratulate Rwanda for being awarded a spot on the F1 calendar in 2030. We are very happy that they’ve been awarded,” he said.
“Rwanda has not beaten us. We as South Africans are still looking at 2028, 2029.”
McKenzie said Rwanda had started its efforts to secure a race years before he became minister and had completed the work required for its successful bid.
He rejected the idea that Africa should have only one F1 race, pointing out that the United States (US) has three races, the Middle East has four and Europe has nine.
“While the Middle East got four F1s, the US got three. Europe has got nine. Now, you expect Africa to only have one. What type of thinking is that?” he said.
The minister said South Africa had secured the backing of several major companies as it worked to advance its bid.
He named MTN, Betway, Discovery and Canal+ as sponsors supporting the effort, adding that a major bank would be announced at a later event.
“We’ve got four blue-chip companies that say we are in,” McKenzie said, adding that MTN’s board was expected to discuss F1 at its meeting on Tuesday.
He said South Africa remained in regular contact with F1 representatives, who had provided feedback on the country’s preparations.
“They would say to us, ‘No, we think you need to change that. You need to do this.’ They are aware the president is going to Abu Dhabi,” he said.
McKenzie added that the government had given the green light for the bid, with the next major step being the required financial guarantee.
He said his target was to secure a race during the current administration’s term, which ends in 2029.
“If I don’t bring F1 during our term, before 2029, then I would have failed,” he said.
The minister also said that hosting major international sporting events should be viewed as an economic opportunity rather than an entertainment expense.
He cited the LIV Golf tournament, saying a R100 million government guarantee had generated returns of more than R1.3 billion.
South Africa is also pursuing other major sporting events, including the 2036 Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games, as the government seeks to expand the country’s role as a host of international competitions.
McKenzie said the country had lost momentum after the 2010 FIFA World Cup but was now working to attract more global sporting events.
“2010, South Africa showed the world we can organise, but then we went to sleep. But we are awake now again,” he said.
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