CAPE TOWN — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has intensified its oversight of Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, demanding full transparency over an estimated R30.95 million in taxpayer funds spent on South Africa’s promotional programme at the recent FIFA World Cup 2026.
The opposition party is now pushing for McKenzie to be summoned before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture. The DA argues that the department has consistently failed to provide a detailed, itemised breakdown of who travelled to the global showpiece and how public money was utilized.
Where Did the R31 Million Go?
In a written response to parliamentary questions from DA MP Lerato Potgieter, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) confirmed an approved World Cup support programme budget of exactly R30,945,370.15.
According to the department, the multimillion-rand budget was allocated across several promotional and logistical channels:
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DSAC FIFA World Cup Spend: R30.95m │
└───────────────────┬────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
[Official Travel: R7.86m] [Cultural Program & Artists] [Event Activations]
• Minister McKenzie • 20 artists funded • Legends Exhibition Match
• DG Cynthia Khumalo • Cultural activations • Hospitality suites
• 14-member project team • Promotional activities • Match tickets & fan engagement
Of the total budget, R7,865,134.97 was spent directly on travel costs for an official delegation of 18 department officials, which included Minister McKenzie, Director-General Cynthia Khumalo, two ministerial support staff, and a 14-member project team.
The department also covered travel and expenses for 20 local artists and cultural practitioners sent to perform at South Africa’s promotional activations during the tournament.
Reconciliation vs. Accountability: The Stand-Off
While the department confirmed the overall R30.95 million figure, it declined to provide an immediate person-by-person cost breakdown.
The DSAC argued that the project involved diverse groups—including government officials, independent artists, sports legends, media, and sponsor-funded supporters—and that a premature, blanket list would be misleading.
The department stated it is currently finalizing a rigorous reconciliation process that will ultimately detail:
- Full names and official roles of all participants.
- Itemized flight, accommodation, and transport costs.
- S&T (subsistence and travel) allowances, visas, and insurance.
- Ticket, accreditation, and hospitality expenses.
The department also clarified that the highly publicized “Lucky Fans” travel packages did not cost the taxpayer a cent, stating they were 100% sponsor-funded.
DA Pushes for Parliamentary Scrutiny
The explanation has failed to convince the DA. The opposition party alleges that McKenzie has provided inconsistent and incomplete answers to direct parliamentary inquiries, raising serious red flags over financial oversight.
The DA has promised to file follow-up parliamentary queries to force the disclosure of every participant’s name and an itemized receipt of all expenditures. They will also request that McKenzie appear in person before the parliamentary portfolio committee to account to the public.
The department maintains that final figures will be made public only once all outstanding invoices and travel expenses are fully audited and reconciled to avoid spreading inaccurate information.
