R5.2 Million Budget, R790K for Athletes – GSA Under Fire

Despite having a R5.2 million budget for the Gauteng Sports Awards (GSA), the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation (SACR) in Gauteng allocated just R790 000 to reward top-performing athletes. The rest was used for lavish events and ceremonies, raising concerns about the department’s priorities.

Details of this spending breakdown were revealed in written replies by Gauteng MEC for SACR, Matome Chiloane, in response to questions posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

Millions spent on events, not athletes

Over R4.4 million of the total budget was spent on promotional activities and the awards ceremony itself. The DA slammed the department’s approach, saying it spent more on “wining and dining” politicians and celebrities than on the athletes it was meant to celebrate.

“This is not a celebration of excellence – it’s a display of waste,” said the DA. “Only 16% of the GSA budget went to the athletes, while the rest was blown on extravagant build-up events and a single-night awards show.”

This controversy comes at a time when many sporting facilities across Gauteng remain in poor condition, contradicting the provincial government’s claims of investing in youth sports development.

Calls for accountability grow

Premier Panyaza Lesufi has praised his administration for supporting young athletes and promoting access to sports. However, the DA has criticised his silence on the GDSACR’s spending practices.

The party has submitted further questions to MEC Chiloane and intends to bring the matter before the Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation.

“The government cannot continue to claim it supports athletes when it neglects infrastructure and directs most of its sports funding to political fanfare,” said the DA.

They argue that a DA-led government in Gauteng would redirect such funds to developing community-level facilities and providing lasting support for athletes.

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Sourced:DA

Picture: FreePik