Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has hit back at reports that he is absconding from portfolio committee meetings. The Minister is currently undertaking an official visit to Brazil.
“I never run away from accountability,” he said in a post on social media where he explained his absence from recent meetings.
“All the Ministers of BRICS meet once a year to agree on the work, plans and collaboration that governs our partnership,” he said.
The Minister explained that he had instructed his team to attend meetings while he met with his counterparts from the UAE, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, China, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt and India.
“We agreed on the way forward and signed the document and also held bilaterals with some Ministers. I shall appear on June 10 to answer whichever allegations or correction but I could simply not miss this meeting. Let’s not play politics by characterising me as running away from answering any questions,” he said.
McKenzie has been slammed for failing to attend recent meetings including a briefing this week on the South African Football Association’s (SAFA) 2023/24 annual report, which covered audited financial statements and governance issues.
Other members of the portfolio committee were present, including SAFA President Danny Jordaan, who was grilled by DA’s Liam Jacobs over his leadership and travel expenses.
However, McKenzie and his deputy, Peace Mabe, were absent.
An apology was read to the committee, explaining that McKenzie was on an official visit to Brazil, while Mabe was attending the Select Committee on Education, Science and Innovation.
However, the explanation did not satisfy several members, who expressed growing concern over what they described as a pattern of absence.
One of those who voiced frustration was ANC MP Gaolatlhe Kgabo.
“I think this is the fifth meeting, if not the sixth, where the minister is not attending.”
Kgabo said McKenzie’s continued absence has become the norm and undermines the committee’s work.
“To a large extent, the minister has concluded that he is not going to account to this portfolio committee,” he said.
“In the last meeting, we resolved that the minister must be summoned to appear before the committee. It’s for that reason I raise the matter of his unavailability again.”
He said the apology should be rejected and that the committee must produce a report on what has been done to follow through on summoning the minister.
Kgabo also accused McKenzie of avoiding official platforms and opting instead to respond to committee matters through social media.
“But the minister would rather run to X (formerly Twitter) or other social networking platforms to rebut the views raised in the proper forum, this portfolio committee,” he said.
“This matter cannot be taken lightly. We are not running a social media government seeking likes,”
Meanwhile, Committee Chairperson Joe McGluwa agreed and said the apology was insufficient.
“I think this applies to the deputy minister as well. It’s about time she comes to a meeting and clarifies her designated area of responsibility,” he said.
“Whether it’s sport, arts, culture, whatever the case may be, we cannot proceed in this fashion. The apology must be recorded as unsatisfactory.”
EFF MP Eugene Mthethwa also raised concern.
“Any organisation knows that if you are an executive and you miss three consecutive meetings, you’re removed. This must apply here,” he said.
He urged the committee to develop a formal policy on ministerial appearances.
“We cannot keep addressing this in bits and pieces. Let us note that we do not accept the minister’s apology,” Mthethwa added.
McGluwa repeated that McKenzie’s continued absence was unacceptable, especially when important decisions were on the table.
“The minister is accountable to Parliament. There are matters only he can answer,” McGluwa said.
He referenced the National Sports and Recreation Act, which states that every sports body must submit annual reports to both the department and Parliament.
“In the future, when federations appear before us, we may proceed without the ministry present. We are wasting our time because of their absenteeism,” he said.
McGluwa also criticised the trend of McKenzie acting independently of the committee, citing the dissolution of entities like SILAPA without briefing Parliament.
He also expressed concern over the ongoing delays in filling senior departmental posts.
“In October 2024, we were told by the minister that the Director-General would be appointed by November. It’s June 2025, and key posts remain vacant,” he said.
McGluwa added that the verification and final selection process falls under McKenzie’s purview and that despite promises to expedite the hiring, little progress has been made.
“We are in crisis mode with Minister McKenzie,” he said. “It’s only this committee that can bring this to an end.”
“Football South Africa and the public at large will be disappointed to learn that the minister was again absent for this long-anticipated engagement with the Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture.”
Politics
