The world of South African sports and culture has recently been thrown into turmoil.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) is openly criticizing Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), Gayton McKenzie, accusing him of mismanaging his role and undermining public trust.
According to the party, McKenzie is acting as if the ministry is “his personal kingdom,” a move they say is harming the development of both sports and culture in the country.
Sabotaging the Dreams of Young Talent
The MK Party didn’t hold back, claiming that McKenzie’s decisions show “utter disrespect” to young South Africans trying to rise out of poverty through their talent.
“What McKenzie has done is sabotage. Sabotage of grassroots development, sabotage of constitutional obligations, and sabotage of the dreams of ordinary South Africans,” the party said.
In their view, instead of helping uplift the poor, his actions effectively abandon them, turning reform into what they describe as “vandalism.”
Questions Over Misuse of Public Funds
Concerns about McKenzie aren’t limited to his leadership style.
Media reports have recently surfaced revealing that several National Federations were notified of funding cuts from DSAC.
This comes amid an ongoing investigation into the minister’s controversial R800 000 trip to the Paris Olympics.
The Public Protector is probing the matter following a complaint from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who also referred McKenzie to the Ethics Committee for allegedly misusing state funds.
The EFF alleges that the minister initially lied about the money spent before admitting to misusing taxpayers’ funds.
MK Party Calls Out the Government of National Unity
The MK Party also suggested that McKenzie feels untouchable because the Government of National Unity (GNU) will shield him.
“This so-called GNU has made a sport out of protecting incompetence, defending ministers who fail, and insulating the elites from accountability,” the party said, branding the GNU a “cartel of mediocrity” overseeing harmful processes in sports and culture.
Demanding Accountability
The MK Party is pushing for immediate investigations.
They called on the Joint Committee and Members’ Interests to look into McKenzie’s conduct and urged the president to publicly clarify what they see as the GNU’s habit of protecting incompetence.