Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie is facing growing pressure to explain nearly R31 million spent on FIFA World Cup 2026-related activities.
ActionSA and the Democratic Alliance want a full breakdown of the spending.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is under scrutiny after McKenzie’s parliamentary reply showed the money was spent on programmes and a delegation linked to the tournament.
According to the reply, the spending included international travel, accommodation, hospitality suites, match tickets, an exhibition match and nation-branding initiatives.
ActionSA demands transparency
ActionSA said promoting South Africa internationally can have benefits.
However, the party said taxpayers are right to ask whether R31 million can be justified while local sports facilities remain poor and youth infrastructure is neglected.
The party also said national teams remain underfunded, which affects performance and participation on the international stage.
ActionSA raised concern that McKenzie admitted he could not identify his own expenses because they were mixed into the delegation’s total costs.
The party said a minister who cannot account for personal spending undermines accountability.
It linked the matter to its Enhanced Cabinet Perks Cut Bill, which seeks greater transparency around taxpayer-funded benefits for public representatives.
DA wants minister before Parliament
The DA wants McKenzie to appear before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture.
The party said the department confirmed the programme cost in a written reply to DA MP Lerato Potgieter.
According to the DA, the spending included official travel, the Legends Exhibition Match, hospitality areas, match tickets, fan activities and cultural programme events.
Travel costs for 18 department officials were estimated at R7.8 million.
The DA said the delegation included McKenzie, two ministerial support staff, Director-General Cynthia Khumalo and a 14-member project team deployed across host cities.
Full breakdown still pending
The department also funded 20 artists and cultural participants.
The DA said the department declined to provide an individual breakdown of costs, saying figures were still being reconciled.
Those details are expected to include participant names, travel expenses, accommodation, allowances and funding sources once finalised.
The DA criticised McKenzie’s replies as patchy and inconsistent.
It said it would continue pushing for the names of every participant and a full breakdown of the spending.
The department says final figures will be shared once all bills and travel costs have been tallied.