Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie. Picture: OJ Koloti/Gallo Images When Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie refused to fund superfan Joyce “Mama Joy” Chauke’s trip to the Fifa World Cup in the US and Mexico, he appeared to be drawing a line on accountability. That refusal suggested fiscal discipline and a willingness to prioritise athletes over spectacle.
Yet, this changed when he authorised R31 million for a 151-person delegation of spectators. McKenzie’s entourage enjoyed the tournament from the stands, funded by taxpayers, while other sporting codes were left scrambling for survival. It boggles the mind to imagine how much more would have been spent had Bafana Bafana – who exited in the knockout rounds – reached the final.
The delegation’s presence was an expensive junket, revealing a government more interested in prestige than in the athletes who struggle to represent the country. Athletes in other codes were left to plead and scrape for sponsorships. Netball federations struggle for funds, Athletics SA has repeatedly raised alarms and the national hockey squad was forced to crowdfund before McKenzie belatedly handed them R3 million – a gesture that looked more like guilt money than strategic planning.
Read Full Article on The Citizen
[paywall]
The contrast is striking: millions for spectators, crumbs for competitors. Yesterday, McKenzie and his department faced parliament to give details on the qualifications and experience of each of the 151 delegates. The MPs rightly wanted to know why were these people included?
What did they actually do in the US? What are the costs attributable to each delegate? And are there any measurable benefits for the department or tourism?
The imbalance in funding is glaring. Soccer, rugby and cricket – the “big three” – enjoy government backing, sponsorships and media coverage.
[/paywall]
All Zim News – Bringing you the latest news and updates.
