South Africa and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams has died at the age of 25, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie said on Saturday, weeks after the player represented Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“It is with profound shock and a heavy heart that I have learnt of the passing of Jayden Adams, midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana, at the age of 25,” McKenzie said in a statement.

The South African Football Players Union also confirmed Adams’s death, describing him as a gifted player and “a proud servant of the game” whose life and career had been cut short.

President Cyril Ramaphosa also said on Saturday that he was mourning Adams alongside former South African Rugby Under-18 prop Luqobo Makwedini, who died at the age of 20.

“It is particularly tragic that we are suffering the loss of two outstanding, young athletes at a time when our nation continues to immerse itself in the FIFA World Cup tournament, as well as the Springboks’ and Springbok Women’s matches against Scotland and the USA Eagles in Pretoria today,” Ramaphosa said.

Born in Komga in the Eastern Cape, Makwedini’s talent on the field earned him a
scholarship to Wynberg Boys’ High School in Cape Town, where his performances in
the front row earned him national recognition at Under-18 level.

He went on to sign a three-year contract with Béziers, and was on the cusp of realising his dream of professional senior rugby ahead of the club’s 2026/27 Pro D2 campaign. It has been reported that he died after a training session with Béziers.

Said McKenzie of Makwedini: “Luqobo represented South Africa with distinction, and his passing is a loss not only to his loved ones but to South African rugby as a whole. May his family find strength and comfort, and may his memory continue to inspire the young players who will follow in his footsteps.”

Despite speculation that Adams may have committed suicide, McKenzie said the cause of his death had not been established.

He appealing to the media and public to avoid speculation while his family and club were given privacy to mourn.

“The cause of Jayden’s passing has not yet been confirmed, and I wish to appeal to members of the media and the public to exercise restraint and compassion, and to refrain from speculation,” McKenzie said.

He said any official information would be communicated by the appropriate parties.

Adams began his career at Stellenbosch FC, progressing through the club’s academy before becoming its first academy graduate to sign a professional contract in August 2020.

He made 139 appearances for Stellenbosch and helped the Cape Winelands club win the 2023 Carling Knockout before joining South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2025, according to the minister’s statement.

McKenzie said Adams later added a domestic Premiership title and a CAF Champions League crown to his honours during his time with the Pretoria club.

“South African football has lost one of its brightest young talents, and our nation mourns alongside his family, his teammates and the millions of supporters who watched him grow from a promising academy prospect into a full Bafana Bafana international,” McKenzie said.

Adams was part of the South African squad that claimed bronze at the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire in 2024 and was selected by coach Hugo Broos for the 2026 World Cup.

He appeared in all three of South Africa’s group matches as Bafana Bafana reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. He was an unused substitute when South Africa were eliminated by co-hosts Canada in the round of 32.

Adams played against Czechia in Atlanta shortly after learning that his grandmother, Marianna Adams, had died hours before the match.

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Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos said he was proud of the progress his team made at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the tournament as an important step in South Africa’s football journey after the national team returned home to a hero’s welcome on Thursday morning.

The team arrived at O.R. Tambo International Airport, where hundreds of jubilant supporters, government officials and Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie gathered to welcome the squad.

South Africa’s campaign ended in the Round of 32 after defeat to Canada, but Bafana still made history by reaching the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup for the first time.

Speaking during a media briefing, Broos said the team had every reason to be satisfied with its performances.

“The first game overwhelmed us. We realised it was not just a game but something special with more than 80 000 people there to watch,” Broos said.

“We were not so bad defensively, but after winning the ball it was a disaster. After that first game we sat down with the players, showed them what was wrong and what was good, and told them to forget the bad but learn from it. From then on we played well. We are happy and satisfied with our performances because it was not easy. Now we have to look to the future, improve and achieve even better results.”

The opening match, a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, proved to be a harsh introduction to the level and intensity of the tournament. But Bafana recovered from that setback to keep their campaign alive and eventually progress beyond the group stage.

The atmosphere at the airport reflected the country’s pride, with fans singing, waving South African flags and chanting the players’ names as they arrived.

Broos, however, questioned the red card shown to veteran midfielder Themba Zwane during the tournament, saying it was difficult to understand.

“The red card on Themba is ridiculous. I don’t understand it,” he said.

“We took Themba with the hope that he could help us.”

The Belgian coach said one of the biggest lessons from the World Cup was the need to maintain concentration throughout matches.

“It is a matter of concentration. African teams are suffering from that because they lose focus, but this is something they can work on. Otherwise they will keep losing games.”

Captain Ronwen Williams said the opening match served as a valuable learning experience for the squad.

“The first game, the hype and the pressure were a bit too much,” Williams admitted.

“We have an experienced coach. He left us alone for two days and we only had recovery training. On the Monday we looked at where we could improve and recover from the first game.”

Williams said studying other World Cup matches helped the players better understand the level of competition.

“We started watching other matches as well. We saw the level of the games, the mistakes that teams were making and what we needed to fix. It was a good wake-up call, but it also showed that we can compete and we can play.”

The Bafana captain also praised winger Thapelo Maseko, who impressed during the tournament.

“Going into the tournament we knew we had a weapon in him because he looked powerful and strong. I’m just happy that he is in a good space. Wherever his future is, I hope he can perform and be happy. We are proud of him and will continue supporting him.”

Williams said the tournament highlighted the bright future of South African football.

“The team has been on a positive path. All the young guys in South Africa are very talented. We must thank the coach for trusting them and allowing them to play at the World Cup. I’m proud of them. The mentality they have at such a young age is incredible.”

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Bafana Bafana were set to depart for Mexico on Monday after all players finally secured their visas on Sunday, easing a tense administrative saga that delayed the national team’s journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The team was originally scheduled to leave for their training base in Pachuca, Mexico, on Sunday morning ahead of their historic return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2010.

However, travel plans were abruptly halted after several players and team officials had not yet received the necessary visas required for travel through the United States, one of the tournament’s host countries.

The visa delays sparked widespread criticism, with Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie describing the situation as an “embarrassing” and “grossly unfair” administrative failure.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) said it worked alongside the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the US Consulate in Johannesburg to resolve the matter.

According to reports, by Sunday evening all players had received their visas, although visas for four members of the camp were still outstanding.

Bafana Bafana will travel to Mexico to complete their final preparations for the World Cup, including an international friendly against Jamaica before opening their group campaign against hosts Mexico in Mexico City on 11 June.

Amid the excitement surrounding the team’s expected departure, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has also expanded its “Mzansi to the World Cup Lucky Fans Competition”, giving more South Africans an opportunity to support Bafana Bafana on the global stage.

The department announced on Sunday that an additional 18 supporters would travel to Monterrey, Mexico, to attend Bafana Bafana’s third FIFA World Cup group-stage fixture on 24 June 2026.

The expansion followed the success of the original competition, which selected 20 South African supporters to travel to Mexico City for Bafana Bafana’s opening group-stage clash against Mexico.

With the addition of the Monterrey group, a total of 38 South African supporters have now been confirmed through the DSAC initiative to travel to the FIFA World Cup in North America.

The department said the additional supporter contingent had been made possible through partnerships with Cell C, Old School, HONOR and Betway.

“The announcement follows the overwhelming success and positive national reception of the original competition,” DSAC said.

“That is what this initiative is about. We want Mexico to hear Mzansi. We want every PSL club represented in those stands, and we are grateful to our partners for helping make that possible,” McKenzie added.

“Nothing could have prepared us for the joy this initiative has brought — not only to the lucky fans themselves, but also to the football-loving public across South Africa. South Africans are reliving the spirit of ‘Phillip’ all over again through the passion, humour and energy of the fans who will proudly represent Mzansi in North America.”

According to the department, the 18 supporters travelling to Monterrey will consist of one supporter representing each of the sixteen PSL clubs, as well as two wildcard supporters open to any South African football fan regardless of club affiliation.

Orbit College FC supporters will not be eligible for this phase of the competition, with Kruger United replacing the club for allocation purposes.

The selected supporters will receive fully sponsored packages that include return flights, accommodation, meals, match tickets, ground transfers and travel support.

To enter, supporters must submit a 30-second video showcasing their passion for Bafana Bafana, loyalty to their PSL club, supporter energy and motivation for representing South Africa at the FIFA World Cup.

The department said it encouraged all South Africans to participate in the campaign by visiting https://dsacevents.dsac.gov.za/DSAC and submitting their entries.

The competition opened on Sunday and closes on Tuesday, 2 June.

Winners will be announced by McKenzie and Deputy Minister Peace Mabe.

“Eligibility is limited to South African citizens and permanent residents aged 18 years and older who hold valid South African passports and are available to travel during June 2026,” the department said.

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Six players who missed out on Bafana Bafana’s final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will travel to Mexico to watch South Africa’s opening Group A match against co-hosts Mexico, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie said on Sunday.

Brandon Petersen, Patrick Maswanganyi, Thabiso Monyane, Thapelo Morena, Lebohang Maboe and Brooklyn Poggenpoel narrowly missed out on coach Hugo Broos’ final squad.

McKenzie said the players would attend the match at the Estadio Azteca on 11 June, with the cost of their travel and accommodation covered by South African brand Old School.

“These six men trained, sacrificed, and prepared with the same dedication as every player in that squad,” said McKenzie.

“They were part of this journey. The margin between making the final cut and missing out at a World Cup is razor-thin, and it would be wrong for that margin to mean that their contribution simply disappears. They deserve to be there, and they deserve to see what they helped build.”

He said the initiative was aimed at ensuring the six players remained part of South Africa’s World Cup campaign, despite not being selected for the playing squad.

“Hugo Broos had to make impossible choices this week, and we accept this. It is in the nature of sport, because disappointment for some is the inescapable flip side of glory for others. That is the nature of elite sport. But such choices should not be the last word on what these six men mean to Bafana Bafana and to this country. They remain part of the family.”

The opening fixture marks South Africa’s first World Cup appearance since it hosted the tournament in 2010.

McKenzie thanked Old School for backing the initiative.

“When I reached out to Old School, the answer was immediate. That kind of response – standing by those who gave their best – is what South African sport looks like at its finest. I am deeply grateful to them.”

He again congratulated the final Bafana Bafana squad and coaching staff, saying the team carried the support of the country into the tournament.

“We go to Mexico as one nation. There will be twenty-six deserving players in the squad, and six more equally special ones in the stands. All of them are Bafana Bafana. On that day, all 60 million of us will be Bafana Bafana.”

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Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has said that the Afrikaans language should be understood as a shared South African inheritance, not the property of any single racial or cultural group.

He was speaking at the War Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein on Saturday at an event celebrating the 101st anniversary of Afrikaans’s official recognition in South Africa’s language framework, after the 2025 centenary of the language’s recognition as an official language.

McKenzie said Afrikaans had been forged through encounter, conflict, mixture and reconciliation, carrying the voices of enslaved people, missionaries, imams, ministers, poets, farmers, Khoi communities, Malay artisans, street vendors and statesmen.

“Afrikaans is the language of my people, of my childhood, and of the inner conversation I have with myself when I am alone, and it is because of that relationship — rather than any official position — that I speak to you today,” McKenzie said.

“The history of this language has never been simple or neat; like South Africa itself, it is complex and contested, at times beautiful and at times painful, and I believe that we cannot truly celebrate this language without telling its full truth.”

McKenzie said Afrikaans was not imported fully formed from Europe, but emerged at the southern tip of Africa through centuries of contact between Dutch, Khoi, San, enslaved, Muslim, missionary and other communities.

He said the language’s roots could be traced back well before the Cape Colony, citing early Dutch records from 1611 that included Khoi words such as kanna, boegoe and dagga. By 1626, he said, 26 such words had already been documented in writing.

“Those words still live on in Afrikaans today, which means they are older than the Cape colony itself,” he said.

“The Cape of the next two centuries was an astonishingly diverse place. Alongside the Dutch lived the Khoikhoi and the San, the first people of this land, and their sounds and speech patterns became deeply woven into the roots of Afrikaans.”

McKenzie said Afrikaans, at its deepest roots, was a language of resilience created by people living under harsh conditions, who still found ways to express themselves, affirm their humanity and create culture.

He said the language had also carried a painful political history, particularly under apartheid, when Afrikaans became associated for many South Africans with state power, racial exclusion and coercion.

“During the apartheid years, that same exclusion was used as a weapon, and Afrikaans became — in the eyes of many South Africans, and not without reason — the language of oppression: the language of pass books and inspectors,” he said.

“When the children of Soweto rose up in June 1976, it was partly in resistance to the forced use of this language as a medium of instruction. I do not soften that history, nor do I ask anyone to forget it.”

According to Census 2022, Afrikaans is South Africa’s third-largest home language, spoken most often at home by 6.36 million people, or 10.6% of the population counted in the language question.

McKenzie said most Afrikaans speakers were not white, and that this reality had too often been ignored.

“This is not a post-1994 shift; it has always been the reality, but a reality some people found more inconvenient than others and therefore suppressed over long periods. We are here today, among other reasons, to suppress it no longer,” he said.

“Afrikaans is not a white language, never was one, and never will be one.”

He said Afrikaans had a rich cultural record that should be celebrated without apology, pointing to its literature, music, theology, humour, science, media and public life.

McKenzie also said Afrikaans remained part of a living media and cultural ecosystem, citing newspapers, magazines, radio stations and digital platforms that continue to publish and broadcast in the language.

“Today I stand here at the War Museum of the Boer Republics, a place that remembers suffering, resistance, and a community that fought to preserve itself, and I honour that history,” he said.

“But the most powerful thing this occasion can do is tell a story greater than the story of any single community, because Afrikaans is greater than any single community, and it has been so from the beginning.”

McKenzie said the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture remained committed to preserving and promoting South Africa’s 12 official languages, describing that responsibility as both constitutional and moral.

He said no language, including isiNdebele, Tshivenda, Setswana or Afrikaans, should be allowed to decline because of a lack of support.

Promoting Afrikaans, he said, also meant telling its full history in schools and cultural institutions, creating space for all communities who speak it, and resisting attempts to racialise the language again.

“Afrikaans does not belong to white South Africans, or coloured South Africans, or to any single group; it belongs to all who speak it, love it, think in it, dream in it, and build in it,” he said.

“It is an African language, born on African soil by African people in African circumstances, and not despite its complexity but precisely because of it, it is one of the most remarkable languages on earth.”

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Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has announced the winners of the “Mzansi to the World Cup Lucky Fans Competition”, selecting ordinary South Africans to represent the country on football’s biggest stage.

Unveiled at a media briefing at GCIS in Pretoria on Tuesday, McKenzie said the winners had been selected from thousands of entries nationwide.

The winners will travel to Mexico to support Bafana Bafana in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Today, we celebrate the power of football to unite, inspire, and take ordinary South Africans onto the world stage,” McKenzie said.

Among the winners are:

Bonakale Hlengiwe Nzuza (Orlando Pirates)
Sebe Thusi (TS Galaxy)
Adam Mtombeni (Kaizer Chiefs)
Konelo John Tahlo (Siwelele FC)
Ndumiso Zondi (AmaZulu FC)
Ernest Jacobs (Stellenbosch FC)
Hlekulani Kobe (Magesi FC)
Happiness Dumakude (Lamontville Golden Arrows)
Vennitious Motswi (Kaizer Chiefs)
Obakeng Mokgara (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Mamello Constance Makha (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Mickey Seroke Mokone (Orbit College FC)
Adam Schlosberg (Chippa United)
Thaven Pillay (Durban City FC)
Salmaan Khan (Richards Bay FC)
Tshegofatso Sello (Marumo Gallants FC)

McKenzie said the competition was designed to recognise the passion of South African football fans and give them a platform on the world stage.

“This competition was about more than just winning a trip. It was about giving a platform to the voices of our people,” he said.

Entries were assessed by an independent adjudication panel on enthusiasm, passion for Bafana Bafana and the World Cup, authentic support for their club, and the strength of each fan’s personal story.

Each winner will receive a fully sponsored trip, including flights, accommodation, meals and a match ticket.

McKenzie also said opportunities for wildcard selections would be made public from Wednesday, ensuring that no great story or undeniable passion was left behind.

McKenzie told the winners they would carry the nation’s hopes onto one of football’s biggest stages.

“When you stand in that stadium in Mexico, you carry the flag, the voice, and the heartbeat of millions back home,” he said.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has launched an investigation after inmate Jermaine Prim gave an unauthorised telephonic interview to eNCA from Johannesburg Correctional Centre.

DCS said the interview was conducted without the approval of National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale and that no formal application had been received from the broadcaster.

“This engagement, conducted without the approval of the National Commissioner, represents a clear violation of established Standard Operating Procedures,” department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said.

He said media houses are required to apply formally for permission to interview offenders to ensure that security, legal processes and victims’ rights are not compromised.

The department said it was concerned by the length and uninterrupted nature of the interview and would investigate how the communication took place and whether there had been lapses in internal controls.

During the interview with eNCA journalist Heidi Giokos, Prim made allegations against Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, claiming he had links to Cape Town’s drug trade.

He also alleged that McKenzie influenced his transfer to a maximum-security facility and had provided him with two cellphones to run Patriotic Alliance (PA) campaigns from prison.

Prim has also submitted a sworn affidavit to Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

In it, he said some of his information came from conversations with alleged underworld figures, including businessman and attempted-murder accused, Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, with whom he said he had shared a prison cell.

The PA rejected Prim’s claims as false and politically motivated. The party said it intended to take legal action against eNCA, its editor, Giokos, and DCS officials involved in the matter.

McKenzie said Prim first contacted him in 2020 while pretending to be an ordinary PA supporter offering marketing assistance. He said he later cut ties after learning of threats Prim had allegedly made against PA members, including women.

The party further said Prim is serving a sentence for fraud, scams and theft.

DCS said it remained committed to upholding institutional security and would act decisively against any conduct that undermines the correctional system.

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The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has secured its fourth consecutive by-election victory off the Democratic Alliance (DA) in George, capturing Ward 16 (New Dawn Park) in a decisive win that further reshapes the balance of power in the Western Cape municipality.

The PA won 65% of the vote, up 22 percentage points, while the DA slumped to 34%, down 12 points from its previous 46%.

The ANC and TRUTH each secured less than 1% of the vote.

GOOD and the Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners or “Local Concerned Residents” (PBI), which previously polled 15% each in the ward, did not contest.

Voter turnout rose significantly to 52%, up from 44% in the previous contest.

The 65% vote share marks the PA’s highest percentage in George to date, surpassing even its two ward gains in January.

Naellowine Esau has been elected as the new PA councillor.

Reports indicate that the PA expanded its base by attracting former GOOD, PBI and ANC voters, mobilising residents who had abstained in the previous by-election, and making inroads into the DA’s support.

PA leader Gayton McKenzie framed the result as evidence of growing grassroots momentum.

“The PA is destroying the DA on the ground, the DA is beating us in the newsrooms and leads all the polls but on the ground, this is what is happening. This is the fourth Ward we are taking in George alone. Helen Zille ran [to Johannesburg as the DA’s mayoral candidate] just in time before the fall,” he said.

The party celebrated the win on social media, saying: “Ward 16 didn’t whisper, it roared. 1 873 votes. A clear victory. A clear mandate. Congratulations to Cllr. Naellowine Esau. George is turning GREEN and there’s no turning back. From Ward 17 to 27, now 16, the momentum is real.”

The victory alters the composition of the 55-seat George council.

The DA drops to 24 seats (from 25), the PA increases to six (from five), while the ANC holds 10.

The PBI has five seats, the Freedom Front Plus four, GOOD three, the EFF two and the ACDP one.

The DA-led coalition with the FF+ and ACDP now holds 29 out of 55 seats; a reduced majority.

The PA’s growth has been particularly striking.

After the 2021 local government elections, it held just one seat in George.

It now holds six and has become the third-largest party in council.

Meanwhile, in KwaZulu-Natal, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) successfully defended Ward 13 (Hlanzeni Nkalokazi) in uMzumbe Municipality, Ugu District, retaining the seat with 43% of the vote, despite dropping seven percentage points from its previous 50%.

The ANC followed with 32% (down from 45%), while the MKP secured 16% and the NFP 8%. Turnout remained steady at 51%.

The ward had drawn national attention in 2024 when seven ANC councillors were suspended after voting with opposition parties to remove an ANC mayor. It was also the municipality where the MK Party won its first council seat during last year’s by-elections following an exodus of ANC councillors.

The Ward 13 by-election was triggered by the resignation of IFP councillor Siyabonga Doncabe, who defected to the MK Party and stood as its candidate.

IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa previously said the party remained confident of its base.

“The residents complained about then-IFP councillor Doncabe, that’s why the IFP instituted disciplinary processes against him. So, when he left before the conclusion of the disciplinary processes, for us, as the IFP, it was good riddance,” Hlengwa said.

The next round of by-elections is scheduled for 25 February.

Contests include a traditionally DA seat in Johannesburg’s Bryanston-Blairgowrie, an ANC ward in Ga-Mamphaka, Polokwane, and a NFP ward in Nongoma’s Mjiza area, where the IFP and MKP are expected to mount strong campaigns as the ANC seeks to regain ground.

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Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has hit back at what he described as “misinformation, misdirection and insult” following his decision to cancel the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s (DSAC) working agreement with Art Periodic for South Africa’s participation at the 2026 Venice Biennale. 

McKenzie insisted that no government funding was withdrawn and that the move was necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty and reputation.

In a media statement, he said reports suggesting that DSAC had pulled funding from the exhibition were incorrect. 

“It is incorrect to report that DSAC has withdrawn any funding from Art Periodic in staging an exhibition at the 2026 Venice Biennale,” McKenzie said. 

“The agreement between DSAC and Art Periodic was to make our exhibition space available to Art Periodic to promote the work of a South African artist or artists at the exhibition, with the rental of space at the South African Pavilion in Venice already having been paid for.”

He said that public resources had already been invested before Art Periodic entered the picture, and that the organisation’s role was to raise private-sector funding to stage the exhibition. 

The controversy arose after it was brought to his attention that a foreign country had allegedly undertaken to fund South Africa’s exhibition.

“However, when it was brought to my attention that a foreign country had allegedly undertook to fund South Africa’s exhibition, this was raised as a concern with Art Periodic, who clarified that – according to their understanding – this foreign country had actually undertaken to purchase the artworks concerned following the conclusion of the Biennale,” McKenzie said. 

He added that it was being alleged that South Africa’s platform was being used “as a proxy by a foreign power to endorse a geopolitical message about the actions of Israel in Gaza”.

“This foreign country has its own resources, so why not rent its own space and fund its own message to convey its feelings about Israel and Gaza?” He asked.

McKenzie said that South Africa already has an official and clearly articulated position on Israel and Gaza, and that he was careful not to conflate his personal political views with those of the state. 

“I do not use the ministry in a manner that runs counter to the position of the state,” he said. 

“No censorship has been exercised either, but I retain my discretion as the Executive Authority of the Department to promote South African art and artists, and to be wary of artists being paid to become involved in geopolitical narratives that have the potential to cause unneeded division and bring DSAC and my ministry into disrepute.”

McKenzie also took aim at artists and media coverage surrounding the issue, calling on those involved to be transparent. 

“The artists involved in this must come clean about who was paying for this. Even the Daily Maverick journalist [who wrote about this] was told about this concern, but never mentioned it in his article, presumably because it did not favour the narrative that he was framing against me.”

DSAC entered into a working agreement with Art Periodic in November last year, to manage and curate South Africa’s presence at the 2026 Venice Biennale after the department had already secured and paid for the pavilion space. 

According to the department, the Art Periodic was expected to fundraise independently, primarily from South African private sources. 

The relationship broke down in early January after allegations emerged that a foreign state was financially involved in the project, raising concerns within the department about indirect foreign messaging being channelled through a national platform.

McKenzie said that allowing South Africa’s pavilion to be used for other countries’ agendas would open the door to an unworkable situation. 

“If our platform is to instead be used by other countries to push their own agendas, then we should give all countries a chance to gain access to our platform and have an equal opportunity to spread their messages,” he said.

“That, however, would be insanity.”

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