'Don’t compare to Mama Joy' – McKenzie responds to uproar over Paris Olympics trip
Updated | By Masechaba Sefularo
Sports Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has responded to criticism over the cost of his trip to the Olympic Games in Paris in July.
Earlier this week News24 reported that more than R800,000 was spent on McKenzie’s travel and accommodation costs.
The minister, who gave an update on his 100 days in office at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg on Thursday, said while he was initially briefly annoyed at the uproar, he accepted that he must account for how taxpayers' money is spent.
However, McKenzie maintains he was merely doing his job.
“I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong, and I’m as transparent as possible. When I saw that its R125,000 for five-star hotel, I and the acting [director general] both said we can’t this; isn’t there a cheaper hotel? I stayed in four-star hotel which was a bit cheaper because it was during the Olympics and all the prices were up. You can’t compare Euros with Rands. Our currency is not that strong.
“Now people, particularly in the [Democratic Alliance] like it's my first time overseas. In 2019 I stayed for a month in Paris to watch the Rugby World Cup. I flew there first class, and I stayed in a seven-star hotel for one month. Now, because it’s no longer my own money, I must follow the rules. If the rules say I must fly economy class, I’ll fly economy class.”
Soon after he was appointed minister, under the government of national unity, the Patriotic Alliance leader took to social media and threatened to cut funding for sports super-fan ‘Mama Joy’ Chauke.
He invited journalists to ask more questions about the trip, but warned against comparing him to Chauke.
“Don’t say I went on a joy ride, and don’t compare me to Mama Joy. I am not a super fan. I am the minister of sports, arts, and culture,” he said as he drew a peace sign to the cheering crowd.
EFF FILES COMPLAINT WITH THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Member of Parliament Sinawo Tambo filed a complaint against McKenzie with the office of the Public Protector in Cape Town.
In a statement on X, the red berets said the complaint relates to the alleged wasteful expenditure and misuse of taxpayer’s money during the Paris trip.
“Additionally, the complaint includes a request to investigate possible fraud relating to the discrepancies on the expenditure amounts reflected in Mckenzie’s response to a parliamentary question, the discrepancies on expenditure amounts in his letter to the Director General of Sports, Arts and Culture on the 15th of October 2024, and the discrepancies in expenditure amounts in a back-dated letter of response to him by the Acting Director General which is dated 10 October 2024,” the statement said.
McKenzie initially denied attending the Olympics games, apart from the opening event, but later recanted and said he attended a few games and meetings.
After producing a detailed breakdown of the expenses, the minister conceded that the R450,000 price tag for his “ground transport” was exorbitant, and subsequently wrote to his acting director general for an explanation.
The EFF also reported McKenzie to Parliament’s ethics committee.
♦️In Pictures♦️
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) October 17, 2024
This morning, EFF Member of Parliament Commisar @Sinawo_Thambo filed a complaint with the Office of the Public Protector in Cape Town, against Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie.
The complaint relates to the wasteful expenditure and misuse of… pic.twitter.com/yNLrBKbmoy
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