Gayton McKenzie Hits Back at Criticism Over Nandi Nyembe Support

Minister of Sport, Art, and Culture Gayton McKenzie has lashed out at critics who accused him of failing to support the late actress Nandi Nyembe.

Nyembe passed away over the weekend, with her funeral scheduled for later this week. Her cause of death has not been disclosed.

Facebook Rant Addressing Accusations

In a Facebook post on Thursday, 28 August, McKenzie denied claims that he ignored Nyembe’s struggles or failed to provide financial help.

He wrote:

• He sent R20 000 to Nyembe earlier this year for food and medication after hearing of her difficulties.

• Following her death, he flew from Cape Town to visit the family.

• He paid R10 000 toward funeral hospitality and made his driver and staff available to assist the family during preparations.

• He arranged for Nyembe’s body to be moved from the mortuary to a funeral parlour.

McKenzie also confirmed that the Department of Sport, Art and Culture will cover Nyembe’s funeral costs.

Criticism of Fellow Artists

The Patriotic Alliance leader expressed frustration with fellow artists who, according to him, were absent during Nyembe’s time of need but vocal after her passing.

“You can try to paint me as uncaring. But I am not the type of person who can walk away from a dire situation doing nothing whilst I have a few coins to assist,” he wrote.

Support for Struggling Artists

McKenzie added that Nyembe was not the only creative he had helped. He pointed to:

• Glen Gabela: His department sent a delegation to refurbish the actor’s home, provide new furniture, and gave him R10 000 for food.

• Roderick Jafhta: The former Generations actor previously thanked McKenzie for a donation that helped him with groceries, transport, and electricity.

McKenzie promised that broader reforms are underway, including funeral cover and medical support policies for artists.

Jafhta’s Public Gratitude

In a 2023 post, Jafhta made it clear that while he was grateful for McKenzie’s help, the responsibility for rebuilding his life rested with him.

“It is not the job of Gayton McKenzie to turn my life around. That responsibility is mine,” Jafhta wrote. “For the President of the Patriotic Alliance to take a moment out of his schedule to include me in his outreach was enough. I will never forget.”

{Source: TheSouthAfrican}

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