South African actor Brandon Auret expressed criticism of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, on social media. Auret, known for his roles in projects 'Isidingo' and 'Easter Sunday', stated his extreme dissatisfaction with the minister's actions.
In a video posted on social media, Auret questioned the advisability of spending millions of funds while South Africa's creative industry continues to struggle. He directly addressed Gayton McKenzie, asking where exactly this money was spent.
These remarks came amid recent attention to the delegation of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, which traveled to the USA for the FIFA Club World Cup, costing 31 million rand. This trip included government officials, artists, cultural performers, and football figures. McKenzie defended these expenditures, claiming they were an investment in promoting South Africa on the global stage.
However, Auret believes that attention should be focused much closer to home. He stated: 'I am an actor in this country, and you have done nothing for the arts. Nothing!' Furthermore, he noted: 'But you can take a couple of people to the World Cup, but you cannot sort out TTIC. You cannot understand where the money went for an industry that is collapsing in this country while you go on sports trips. It's time for you to go, bro. Put a real person in this position.'
The Transformation Team for the Audiovisual Content Industry (TTIC) was established to study the challenges facing South Africa's screen sector and develop recommendations. This working group analyzed issues such as funding, governance, transformation, incentives, and the long-term sustainability of the local film and television industry.
Much of the frustration stems from this. For years, actors, producers, directors, and crew members have warned about delays in incentive payments, uncertainty regarding film and television rebates, and industry management issues. Many warn that production is becoming harder to sustain, jobs are disappearing, and South Africa risks losing orders to countries offering more reliable support. Many industry representatives claim they are not asking for miracles, but merely demanding the implementation of existing recommendations.
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gaitan Mackenzie, defended the expenditures of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) for South Africa's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, refuting claims that the spending of approximately 31 million rand was unjustified or improper.
In a detailed statement, Mackenzie noted that this amount was openly disclosed in a parliamentary response, emphasizing that 'there is nothing to hide.' He clarified that the program involved 151 people traveling to Mexico and the United States, excluding service providers, and that part of the costs were covered by private sponsors. The final reconciliation of sponsor contributions is currently ongoing.
According to Mackenzie, 7.86 million rand was spent on the official delegation. These funds covered international travel, accommodation, local transport, travel insurance, daily allowances, and other approved expenses for state officials, logistics personnel, communications teams, protocol officers, and South African artists.
Furthermore, 6.71 million rand was allocated to the South Africa Legends Programme of 2010, which included a friendly match between the 2010 Bafana Bafana team and the 2010 Mexico Legends team. Another 3.36 million rand was directed towards official event venues in Atlanta and Monterrey, which, according to Mackenzie, served as workspaces for meetings with government leaders, investors, sponsors, football officials, and international partners.
3.01 million rand was allocated for 294 official tickets to FIFA matches in the three host cities for program participants and the delegation. The remaining 10 million rand went towards creating South Africa exhibition stands in Mexico, Atlanta, and Monterrey. These funds covered construction, branding, technical equipment, logistics, security, and cultural events showcasing South Africa's potential in tourism, arts, cuisine, and investment.
Mackenzie asserted that all expenses complied with the department's mandate to promote South Africa through sport, art, and culture. He called on anyone who believes the money was improperly distributed, misappropriated, or spent, or who personally benefited from corruption, to provide relevant evidence. The Minister accused opposition parties of turning legitimate government spending into a scandal and stated that assumptions about him personally spending 31 million rand are false.
Mackenzie reported that his personal expenses amounted to 1,058,379.75 rand over a five-week period, including airfare, accommodation, and insurance. He added that he declined a daily allowance of 55,000 rand, used public transport whenever possible, and did not use state funds for his family's travel. He also mentioned that private partners, such as Brand South Africa, Coca-Cola, HONOR, Betway, Cell C, and Old School, funded the trips of happy fans, journalists, podcasters, and influencers, thereby reducing the financial burden on the state.
The Minister emphasized that the World Cup program included engagement with Mexican officials, stakeholders in investment and tourism, Formula 1 organizers, and cultural institutions, alongside activations and performances by South African fans in Mexico, Atlanta, and Monterrey. He assured that all expenses were approved in accordance with departmental procedures and fall under the Public Finance Management Act, Treasury regulations, and National Treasury cost containment measures. Every account, sponsor contribution, and payment undergoes a reconciliation process within a consolidated closing report to be presented upon completion.
