DSAC breaks down R30.9m World Cup programme spend as opposition demands answers

South Africa’s Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has provided a breakdown of the R30,945,370.15 spent on the country’s programme linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as opposition parties press for further transparency. According to IOL, the disclosure follows mounting calls from the Democratic Alliance and ActionSA for more detailed accounting.

What the spending covered

According to IOL, DSAC said the expenditure covered several areas: official travel; the Legends Exhibition Match; hospitality suites; spectator tickets; and tournament-related programme activations.

Official travelestimated costs

IOL reports the department estimated the official travel component for Minister Gayton McKenzie, two support staff, the Director‑General and a 14‑member project team at R7,865,134.97. The department said this amount included international flights, accommodation, local transport, subsistence and operational support costs.

Reconciliation and itemised names

DSAC told IOL it had not yet separated McKenzie’s individual costs from those of the wider project team because expenses such as security, protocol and logistics were procured as a single package. The department said it was finalising a person‑by‑person reconciliation that would list each traveller’s name, title, role, city visited, programme participation, duration of stay, flight, accommodation, transport, subsistence and travel (S&T), visa, insurance, accreditation, match tickets, hospitality costs and funding source where applicable.

IOL quotes the department:

“The department is taking care not to guess figures where invoices are still being reconciled.”

DSAC also told IOL the final report would distinguish between State‑funded travellers, sponsor‑funded participants and implementation partner personnel to ensure an accurate account of the expenditure.

Who participated in the programme

According to IOL, DSAC said the World Cup programme went beyond government officials and included artists, cultural participants, football legends, media partners, sponsored fans and implementation support teams. The department said not everyone travelled at State expense, with some costs covered through sponsorships or implementing partners.

Opposition response

IOL reports the Democratic Alliance and ActionSA have continued to press Minister McKenzie for a more detailed account of the spending. The DA said it would submit additional parliamentary questions and seek to have the minister appear before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture. ActionSA questioned whether the expenditure represented value for money and raised concerns that McKenzie’s personal expenditure had not yet been separated from the delegation’s overall costs.

As of the department’s statement to IOL, DSAC was completing invoice reconciliations and preparing a final report that, the department said, would provide clearer breakdowns of funding sources and individual costs.