Pretoria – Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has come out swinging against critics, providing a detailed breakdown of how his department spent its R31 million budget to send a delegation to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The minister’s response follows a week of intense scrutiny from opposition parties, including the DA and ActionSA, who have questioned the necessity and the cost of the high-profile trip.
In a comprehensive statement issued on Monday, McKenzie clarified that while a total of 151 individuals participated in the World Cup delegation to the United States and Mexico, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) directly funded only 75 of them. The remaining 76 participants, which included "lucky fans," journalists, influencers, and podcasters, were entirely funded by private sponsors.
“A total of more than 150 people participated and were paid for. I did not approve this programme for myself. It was done for the country,” McKenzie stated, firmly rejecting accusations that the trip was a "wasteful" junket for government officials.
The breakdown of the R31 million expenditure reveals a complex operation aimed at "nation-building and economic promotion." According to the minister, the largest portion of the budget, R10 million, was allocated to programme activities, fan engagement, and cultural activations. This included the costs for 30 cultural artists who performed at various venues, including the Aldea Global and Atlanta partnership events.
Other significant costs included R7.86 million for official travel expenses for government officials, R6.71 million for the 2010 Bafana Bafana legends squad, and R3.36 million for official hospitality venues in Atlanta and Monterrey. The department also spent R3.01 million on 294 official FIFA match tickets across three host cities.
The inclusion of the 2010 Bafana Bafana legends, who played a match against Mexican legends, was a particularly high-profile part of the trip. McKenzie defended this expense, arguing that the legends serve as vital ambassadors for South African football and that their presence helped to "position South Africa on the global stage."
However, the DA and ActionSA remain unconvinced. The opposition parties have accused McKenzie of being "evasive" and have demanded a full, individualised breakdown of every cent spent. They have specifically raised concerns about the selection criteria for the artists and influencers, as well as the overall value for money of the R31 million investment.
ActionSA Member of Parliament Dereleen James has been particularly vocal, questioning why such a large sum was spent on a delegation when the country faces significant domestic challenges. The DA has also pointed out that McKenzie’s own travel costs, which he claimed were just over R1 million, included a flight back to South Africa midway through the group stages for Youth Day on June 16—a move some have called an unnecessary expense.
McKenzie, however, was quick to defend his personal conduct during the trip. He highlighted several "cost-cutting measures," including using rideshare services like Uber and local taxis instead of hiring private drivers. He also clarified that his family members who accompanied him did so at their own personal expense.
“Spending a departmental budget on the department’s mandate is not, in itself, a wrongdoing,” McKenzie argued. “The FIFA World Cup was the single largest global sport, arts and culture platform of the year… Spending public money to position South Africa on such a platform is not a deviation from the department’s mandate, it is exactly our mandate.”
The minister accused the opposition of "politicising" the trip and trying to make a standard departmental programme sound "sinister." He challenged his critics to present "concrete evidence" if they believe any funds were misappropriated or improperly spent.
The controversy comes at a time when the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is under increasing pressure to justify its spending. The R31 million figure has become a lightning rod for public frustration over government expenditure, with many South Africans taking to social media to voice their disapproval.
McKenzie’s defense of the trip as "nation-building" and "economic promotion" is a familiar refrain in South African politics, but it is one that is increasingly being met with scepticism. Critics argue that the benefits of such international delegations are often intangible and difficult to measure, while the costs are very real and immediate.
The minister has promised a "comprehensive close-out report" once all invoices and sponsorship contributions have been reconciled. This report will be tabled in Parliament and will be subject to further scrutiny by the portfolio committee.
“When it is ready, it will be tabled, and I remain available to account to the portfolio committee, as I always have been,” McKenzie said, reiterating his commitment to transparency.
As the debate over the R31 million World Cup trip continues, it highlights the ongoing tension between the government’s desire to promote South Africa on the global stage and the public’s demand for accountability and fiscal responsibility. For Gayton McKenzie, the trip was a vital investment in the country’s brand. For his critics, it was a costly exercise that failed to deliver clear benefits to the South African people.
The outcome of the close-out report will be a significant test for McKenzie’s leadership and his department’s reputation. Until then, the R31 million question remains a major talking point in South African politics, a symbol of the complex and often controversial world of government spending. For now, the minister stands by his decision, insisting that every cent spent was an investment in the "soul of the nation." But as the opposition prepares for a fresh round of questions in Parliament, the final whistle on this particular controversy is yet to be blown.own.
