McKenzie criticised after brief parliamentary appearance on R31m World Cup spending

Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie left a parliamentary portfolio committee after a brief appearance on Tuesday as MPs demanded answers about more than R30.9 million spent by his department on a trip to the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

Committee meeting cut short

McKenzie appeared before the sports, arts and culture portfolio committee on Tuesday but did not provide detailed answers about the department’s World Cup expenditure, according to reporting. Committee members received information the department had previously supplied to Parliament, and officials said a detailed expenditure report was yet to be finalised.

DA committee member Leah Potgieter said the minister left the meeting early and accused him of failing in his duty to account to Parliament.

“[We] see this as blatant absconding of his legal duty to account to Parliament. It is an act of defiance, and shows that he has something to hide,”

Potgieter said. She added:

“Running from Parliament is unforgivable. He can run, but he cannot hide from this. South Africa demands answers.”

The Citizen reported that McKenzie’s office was contacted for comment on Wednesday morning and that any response would be included once received.

Breakdown of reported expenditure

In a written parliamentary reply to Potgieter, McKenzie confirmed at least R30.9 million had been spent on the trip. The minister’s response listed the following items:

• R7.8 million on travel for 14 department officials
• R6.7 million on one legend’s match
• R3.6 million on hospitality suites
• R3 million on 294 match tickets
• R10 million on “activities linked to fan engagement”

The minister’s response also stated that the amount had not been finalised and that a consolidated close-out report would follow once invoices, claims and accounts were reconciled. The department had requested final reconciled figures from the travel agent and other service providers.

Minister pushes responsibility to federations

Before appearing at the committee, McKenzie issued a statement criticising coverage of sports funding and shifting attention to national federations. He argued that Parliament approves a fixed budget shared among more than 60 national sports federations and said funding mainly covered administrative costs rather than every tournament or overseas trip.

In the statement he said:

“Lazy federation bosses who don’t understand their job, and with no ideas on how to further their sport, think this is open season to run to the media to scream the name Gayton McKenzie, hoping it will get them attention, and perhaps even money.”

He added that federations were responsible for generating revenue and needed to “think commercially, and operate commercially.” McKenzie said representing the country is “a great honour and a privilege” but that it “is not a right”.

Parliamentary scrutiny of the department’s World Cup spending is ongoing, with MPs pressing for the final reconciled figures and the promised consolidated report.