Gayton McKenzie faces scrutiny over 19 PA-linked appointments to arts and culture boards

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie is under increasing scrutiny over the appointment of at least 19 individuals linked to his Patriotic Alliance (PA) to key positions within public entities managed by his department. An investigation revealed that these appointees, who held roles in bodies such as the National Film and Video Foundation, National Library of South Africa, National Arts Council, Boxing South Africa, and various theatres and museums, were either PA members or individuals with direct access to the party’s leadership.

The remuneration for these positions ranged between R14,000 and R80,000 annually. Among those implicated are Tony Ferreira, Simon Clarke, Omphemetse Mokgosi, Siphosethu Mtamzeli, and Andrea Gordon, who are set to serve on the National Film and Video Foundation council for the 2024-2027 term. The Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) adjudication panel, responsible for evaluating applications for nearly R110 million in MGE funding for artists, festivals, and cultural organizations, has also been scrutinized.

Steve Motale, Vernon Vraagom, and Francisco Tejada, who were active PA members at the time of their appointment, are among those linked to the panel. The DA has accused McKenzie of favoring political insiders over merit-based candidates, arguing that at least 19 senior government positions are held by McKenzie’s own supporters rather than independent experts.

The DA’s Sport, Arts and Culture spokesperson, Leah Potgieter, stated that South Africans deserved opportunities based on merit rather than political connections and vowed that the DA would not let McKenzie evade the rules and law. The Democratic Alliance had previously raised concerns about what it described as “cadre deployment” under McKenzie, including appointments to the MGE adjudication panel and roles at institutions like the National Library of South Africa and Boxing South Africa.

The DA lodged a complaint with Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka in July, demanding an investigation into whether McKenzie breached the Executive Ethics Code through appointments tied to the allocation of public funds. The DA’s complaint focused on the 2025/26 MGE adjudication panel, alleging that three members - Motale, Vraagom, and Tejada - were active PA members during their appointment.

The PA, however, dismissed the DA’s complaint as a “headline-seeking stunt with zero evidence,” stating that McKenzie had answered parliamentary questions and addressed the allegations publicly, showing a willingness to debate and be questioned. McKenzie’s management of the Sport, Arts and Culture portfolio has also come under criticism, with the DA recently questioning the transparency and accountability surrounding nearly R31 million spent on the department’s 2026 FIFA World Cup programme.

McKenzie defended the programme and mentioned that the department was finalizing a full reconciliation of the spending.