South Africa: Gayton Mckenzie's Empty Promises Rally Artists and Western Cape Government

7 September 2025
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Marianne Thamm

Patriotic Alliance leader and Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has been accused of 'punishing' the Western Cape with funding cuts.

In a media statement following revelations that Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie had made promises to various cultural institutions and festivals, only to renege on them, Western Cape Member of the Executive Council for cultural affairs and sport Ricardo MacKenzie has lashed out.

On 5 September, MEC Mackenzie noted that it had been "made abundantly clear to the national minister during MinMEC (Ministers and Members of Executive Councils) engagements that these cuts will harm communities".

It was, he added, "unconscionable that national government continues to punish the people of the Western Cape by withdrawing support from festivals that bring communities together and put food on the table for thousands of households".

Empty promises

The MEC was responding to an approach to Minister McKenzie by Suidoosterfees CEO, Jana Hattingh - an annual festival the minister had publicly announced he would support, after no such funding had been forthcoming.

Speaking to Mia Spies at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) this year, the arts and culture minister said he had met "the people of the Suidoosterfees,"...

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