Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie speaks during a media briefing at the Cullinan Hotel in Cape Town on 16 April 2024. Picture: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has defended his trip to the 2024 Olympics in France, which cost taxpayers over R800,000.
McKenzie recently revealed in a parliamentary reply that his department incurred a total cost of R804,597.71 for his trip to Paris.
His flights cost R215,976.36, while R113,271 went towards accommodation and R454,005 for ground transport.
Additionally, R592.63 was paid by the department for insurance.
McKenzie’s subsistence and travel allowance was R20,745.72.
After facing criticism for cancelling superfan travel plans upon taking office in July, McKenzie has defended his decision to make the trip.
“I attended six meetings in Paris before the start of the Olympics. I went to the athletic village to greet our athletes, I attended the opening ceremony and watched the hockey, gymnastics and [rugby] sevens game.
“I opened Ekhaya village and watched the rest of the Olympic Games on TV. What joyride?” McKenzie said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I left the day the Olympics started, I went for government meetings with ministers of other countries. I didn’t attend the Olympics, only the opening, and I came back to work.
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“I could have stayed [longer] but wanted to get to know my new portfolio. Stop lying to people,” the minister added.
Eight officials had accompanied McKenzie to Paris.
The budget approved for officials to attend the Olympics was R1,805,355, according to the minister.
“No other officials from DSAC travelled to the Olympics,” McKenzie said in another parliamentary reply.
McKenzie also revealed that the government spent R27 million (R27,892,000) for 146 athletes who represented the country at the Paris Olympics although the costs were still being calculated.
“The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee in their response has indicated that invoices are still being processed for the Olympic Games and are therefore unable to quantify the cost per athlete at the time of this response.
“However, the budget for the support, preparation and delivery of Team SA to the Olympics was R27,892,000 and covers costs related to athletes and technical support only.”
The minister previously indicated that the athletes’ flights varied between R18,000 and R30,000.
These flights were paid for by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).
Following his appointment to Cabinet, McKenzie announced he would put an end to public funding for superfans like Mama Joy Chauke and Botha Msila, who frequently travelled internationally to support South African teams.
He cited cost-cutting as the primary reason for this decision.
In September, McKenzie was asked to disclose the total costs incurred to date for the attendance of superfans at the Olympics and other international sporting events.
The minister clarified that no fans were sponsored by the department to attend the Paris Games.
“As a minister, I could not have withdrawn any privileges as Ms Joy ‘Mama Joy’ Chauke never had any privileges with the department in the first place.”
“The total costs incurred to date were R1 361 232.81 for the attendance of ‘superfans’ at international sporting events.
“With the exception of Ms Chauke and Mr Botha Msila, the department is not aware of any citizen who attended international events under the sponsorship of the department in the past two financial years,” McKenzie’s response read.
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