South Africa's Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie faces parliamentary probe over R31 million World Cup spend

Members of Parliament have demanded that Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie provide a detailed breakdown of the estimated R31 million spent on South Africa's delegation to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Democratic Alliance (DA) alleges that McKenzie left a parliamentary committee meeting when questions about the expenditure were raised, describing his conduct as "blatant absconding" from his duty to account for public funds. The DA says it will invoke parliamentary mechanisms to compel his attendance and answers. The minister’s department has issued a statement attempting to clarify the funding framework, but no public response from McKenzie has been recorded. The controversy highlights concerns over fiscal oversight of high‑profile sporting events.