More Damning Gayton Evidence

Statement by Leah Potgieter MP – DA Spokesperson on Sport, Arts and Culture:

Today, the DA submitted more damning information to the Public Protector to supplement the investigation into Minister Gayton McKenzie; where the Public Protector is looking into whether he has breached his oath of office by favouring his inner circle and the Patriotic Alliance (PA).

The Public Protector has the evidence now to investigate PA insiders who appear to be benefiting from taxpayer money. While the people of South Africa struggle, the PA insiders around Gayton McKenzie are continuously accused of selfishly consuming taxpayer money, as alleged in our complaint.

South Africa has had enough of the alarming reports about the Minister’s selection of individuals connected to the PA for positions around him. These are on public entity boards within the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

This also concerns his choices of who accompanied him on his R31-million trip to the Soccer World Cup.

Gayton McKenzie is bound by the Ministerial Handbook, which rules that no more than two support staff can accompany a Minister abroad. But Gayton McKenzie took his Chief of Staff, Private and Appointment Secretary, Spokesperson, and two Ministerial Support Staff on his R31-million World Cup trip.

The DA’s supplementary complaint lodged today asks the Public Protector to broaden the investigation into whether the Minister has breached the Executive Members’ Ethics Act and the Executive Ethics Code, with these new allegations.

Today’s supplementary complaint expands on the DA’s initial complaint, which provided the Public Protector evidence to investigate the Minister’s appointment of PA members to the 2025/26 Mzansi Golden Economy adjudication panel and the Minister’s R31-million trip to the World Cup.

Recent investigations identified at least 19 individuals connected to the PA who have been appointed to Boards of public entities within the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

This includes appointments of persons connected to the PA in influential positions on boards such as the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), the National Arts Council (NAC), the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and the Robben Island Museum. Several of these individuals serve on multiple boards, which could pose a significant conflict of interest. Additionally, many of these entities are currently plagued by allegations of serious mismanagement.

The second part of the supplementary provides the Public Protector with further information on the World Cup delegation. Not only is Gayton McKenzie’s Department failing to provide adequate information to Parliament, but it has also come to light that many of the Minister’s 18-member World Cup delegation were drawn directly from his political office. The DA has submitted a PAIA request to obtain further information on this matter, which will be provided to the Public Protector.

Last week, when questioned by the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture about political affiliations and conflicts of interest at the National Arts Council (NAC), the Minister told Parliament, “There is nobody there that is there because of politics.” That is precisely what the Public Protector must now test against the evidence the DA has provided in the supplementary complaint filed today.