South Africans can’t afford a Grand Prix on their taxes

The old Scottish proverb that “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride” has a latter-day equivalent with Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, because he seems to believe that wishes are horsepower and enough of them will bring us a Formula One Grand Prix.

The man who has long since stolen Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi’s title as South Africa’s sound-bite king has now set up a “bid committee” to prepare a pitch to the sport’s controlling body, the FIA, for this country to hold a Grand Prix as soon as 2027.

According to McKenzie, the enormous amount of money the event is going to cost – R2 billion by his estimation, although similar events have cost far more elsewhere – is the least of his worries.

By implication that means taxpayers shouldn’t have to worry about formal government support having to come out of our pockets.

But McKenzie did let slip that any such bid would need support “from the province”.

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Given the fact that he and Lesufi were pictured joyously celebrating at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit – the frontrunner to hold an F1 event – perhaps taxpayers in the province should start saving.

Our politicians are not the only ones who want the prestige associated with a globally televised sport which, ironically, still has a minority following.

Rwanda President Paul Kagame has also thrown his country’s hat into that Grand Prix ring. And unlike McKenzie, he won’t get many difficult questions from the media or civil society groups.

It’s been said before, but worth saying again: There are far better ways to spend money in this country… and on projects which will leave a lasting positive impact.

If McKenzie can get the private sector to play fairy godmother and make his dreams come true, though, fair enough. But taxpayer rands are not there to fund the grand visions of a minister.

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