Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has confirmed that his department will not pay for popular superfan Joy “Mama Joy” Chauke to attend the 2026 Fifa World Cup, drawing renewed attention to his decision to cancel state-funded trips for high-profile supporters.
The 2026 tournament, which runs from 11 June to 19 July, will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. For years, South Africa’s most recognisable superfans have been a familiar presence at major international events, often dressed in bright regalia and billed as unofficial ambassadors for the country’s sporting codes.
Chauke, one of the country’s best-known supporters and a constant feature in the stands at Bafana Bafana, Springboks and other national team fixtures, was among those who previously benefited from government funding. The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture covered travel and accommodation for selected superfans – including Mama Joy – to attend tournaments such as the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
Reports indicated that the trip for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France cost about R1.3 million for superfans. That level of expenditure has since come under sharper scrutiny as the department reviews how it allocates limited public funds in the face of pressing demands from athletes and artists.
When McKenzie assumed office, he made it clear that such support for superfans would come to an end. He publicly stated that he would stop sponsorship of trips for supporters, arguing that the money should instead be channelled towards competitors and creatives struggling to raise funds to perform on international stages.
“I have stopped all trips for superfans. We have athletes and artists who are struggling to raise money to attend sporting events and exhibitions. How do we justify paying for fans?” said McKenzie.
However, the minister’s firm line on cutting off funding for superfans has been complicated by remarks he reportedly made earlier this year, when the Fifa World Cup Trophy toured South Africa. In February, during the high-profile promotional tour, McKenzie was reported as saying that as many as 50 people could be selected through competitions to attend the 2026 global showpiece.
He reportedly said they were going to hold competitions for people who could dance or cook.
“We are taking artists, dancers and podcasters so that everybody can get the feel of what’s happening,” he said.
“They [are] not going for holiday, they [are] going to go and make sure the people there must know what’s happening here.”
These comments, made against the backdrop of national excitement after Bafana Bafana secured qualification for the World Cup, appeared to open the door for a new cohort of supporters, performers and content creators to travel with some form of departmental backing.
Bafana Bafana sealed their place at the 2026 tournament with a 3-0 victory over Rwanda, marking their return to football’s biggest stage after a 16-year absence. That achievement revived memories of the 2010 World Cup on home soil and with it, the prominent role played by colourful fans in shaping South Africa’s global sporting image.
It is in this context that McKenzie’s latest stance has become a point of debate. His recent comments to Mama Joy have highlighted what appears to be a contradiction between his pledge to stop funding superfans and his suggestion, earlier in the year, that competitions would be used to select people to attend the tournament.
McKenzie’s statement that Chauke’s husband must foot the bill for the trip is in contrast to earlier reports.
Chauke took to social media platform X to voice her disappointment after seeing a report that the department would not fund fans to attend the World Cup. As someone who has long represented South African supporters on the global stage – and who was recently in France backing the Springboks during their successful Rugby World Cup campaign – she has become closely associated with the idea of government-supported superfans.
In her post, Chauke expressed dismay at the apparent change of approach and indicated that she would like to see new political leadership in the sports portfolio. She said she hopes President Cyril Ramaphosa appoints a new minister for the sport portfolio, signalling her dissatisfaction with the current minister’s stance.
McKenzie responded directly on X, in a pointed reply that drew widespread attention. Referring to Chauke’s recent marriage to a French national, he suggested that her World Cup travel should no longer be a matter for the public purse.
“We got you a husband, my sister. Let him pay for the love of his life. The euro is very strong. Frenchmen are known to be romantic. Let him pay, Sista Joy,” he said in the post.
The minister’s comment, which blended humour with a firm message about funding priorities, underscored his view that taxpayer money should not be used to sponsor superfans’ international trips. But it also raised questions about consistency and communication within the department, given his earlier suggestion that competitions would be used to send a group of South Africans to the 2026 showpiece.
But this contradicts what he said in February, when the Fifa World Cup Trophy toured South Africa. McKenzie reportedly said 50 people could be selected through competitions to attend the global showpiece.
The department previously funded travel and accommodation for selected superfans, including Chauke, to attend major international tournaments such as the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Under McKenzie’s leadership, that practice has been brought to a halt, with the minister repeatedly stressing that his priority is to support athletes and artists who lack financial backing.
McKenzie’s comments contradict his stance on cancelling funding for fans to attend games, as he said he aims to have the funds redirected elsewhere.
The evolving position has left superfans like Mama Joy in a difficult position. On one hand, the minister insists that there will be no more publicly funded trips for supporters. On the other, his earlier public remarks about competitions, and about taking “artists, dancers and podcasters” to North America, have fuelled expectations that some form of state-supported presence at the World Cup remains on the cards – even if framed as cultural promotion rather than fandom.
For now, the message from McKenzie is that the era of government-paid trips for superfans is over. Whether that holds as the World Cup draws nearer, and how the department ultimately balances athlete support with cultural and fan representation on the global stage, is likely to remain a subject of public scrutiny – especially among those, like Mama Joy, who have become symbols of South African passion in the stands.
