South African Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, cut short his appearance before Parliament's sport committee on Friday to attend a pre-scheduled political meeting. This marks the second consecutive day that McKenzie has missed questioning by MPs regarding his department's spending and alleged fraud. On Thursday, he skipped the Auditor-General's briefing on his department's audit, which confirmed fraudulent activities involving some of the department's funded entities.
McKenzie, who leads the Patriotic Alliance, had informed the committee that he would leave after 45 minutes to attend the political meeting. Committee Chair Joe McGluwa expressed disappointment, emphasizing that the minister's presence was crucial when discussing serious financial matters, including fraud. McGluwa stated that the executive authority and accounting officer must always be present in such important meetings to account to Parliament.
The minister responded to McGluwa's remarks, stating that as a party president, his presence at events differs from that of committee members. McKenzie's early departure led to Deputy Minister Peace Mabe taking his place. ANC MP Gaolatlhe Kgabo proposed that the committee write to the Speaker and the Presidency regarding McKenzie's consistent absence from meetings, which hampers the committee's oversight responsibilities.
The department's 2025/26 annual report revealed that it spent 99.6% of its R6.3 billion budget but achieved only 80% of its targets, down from 93% the previous year. The committee also raised concerns over the department's increased spending on travel and subsistence, which rose by approximately R25 million to R110 million. The acting chief financial officer attributed the increase to the number of trips taken during the year and promised to provide a detailed report.
The department failed to meet several targets, including building 100 outdoor gyms and children's play parks, completing only 17 due to limited funding. Additionally, the department missed its target of creating 10,000 jobs through its creative sector stimulus, achieving 8,772 jobs after some were disqualified due to invalid documents. Of 155 cultural and creative industry projects funded, only 54 had adequate evidence to support them.
The committee also inquired about the cost of the SA Sport Awards at Sun City, which totaled R17,355,255. ANC MP Matsholo Mmolotsane requested a full breakdown of costs, including payments to celebrities, by the following week. Furthermore, Kgabo asked about the department's expenditure on legal fees, citing the minister's frequent use of courts.
The department's chief audit executive reported that internal audits flagged repeat non-compliance with the law but did not recommend consequence management for those responsible. Committee Chair McGluwa warned that the matter could be escalated to Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts, emphasizing the seriousness of the issue. The department has also yet to submit its final report on spending for the 2026 Fifa World Cup trip.
Key points
- Minister Gayton McKenzie's early departure from the Parliament meeting sparks concerns over accountability.
- The department's 2025/26 annual report reveals a significant gap between budget spending and target achievement.
- The committee raises concerns over the department's increased spending on travel and subsistence.
