• Sports minister Gayton McKenzie says the government spent R800,000 on Mama Joy for business flights and five-star hotels last time.

• Gayton McKenzie says he can send more fans with that money since Mama Joy found a private sports brand sponsor.

Sports minister Gayton McKenzie has stopped the government from paying for super fan Joyce "Mama Joy" Chauke to travel. He says the government will no longer pay for her trips to sporting events.

McKenzie says he cannot justify sending her again because of the high costs.

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"The last trip, the department spent R800,000," McKenzie said.

He says the government paid for business-class flights and five-star hotels for her to travel.

"The people here are not going on business flights," he said. "We can send more people with R800,000 than just one person."

The Fifa World Cup kicks off next month in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

McKenzie says it is unfair that some people feel entitled to automatic qualification for these trips. He says other South Africans have to beg for a chance to go.

"Do we want this thing of South Africans where some people think some things are meant for them?" he said.

The minister says the decision to cut her funding is not personal.

"We've got nothing against Mama Joy," McKenzie said.

In April, Mama Joy announced on social media that she had secured a private sponsor. She says a sports brand will pay for her World Cup trip as an ambassador.

McKenzie says he was happy when she posted about getting a sponsor.

"I thought that problem was now done. She's got a sponsor," he said.

McKenzie says if Mama Joy is at the stadium without a ticket, he will not leave her outside because she loves the national team.

"If she's there at a stadium, my heart wouldn't allow me to leave her outside," he said.

He says the 16 or 20 other people going on the trip have an equal right to be there.