Media personality Bonang Matheba has publicly questioned Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie. She asked why he wants to bring a Jay Z concert to South Africa while local artists need money.
The criticism came after McKenzie posted about attending the JAŸ Z30 concert in Paris. He said Roc Nation executives invited him while he was in France for the Lumière Film Summit.
McKenzie said he used the chance to push for the show to be brought to South Africa, The Citizen reported.
“Brought to SA? Why? What about the SAMAs? SAFTAs? The locals need money, Sir!! Let’s start THERE!!” Bonang wrote in reply.
She added in a post on X: “Let’s start with creating conditions IN South Africa FOR South African artists first. Respectfully, getting budgets for cultural events is literally your job!”
According to The Citizen, there is no evidence that the proposed Jay Z concert would be paid for with taxpayer money. McKenzie has not said that public funds would be used for the event.
The minister has in the past defended using public resources to promote South Africa around the world. He has argued that global platforms can open doors for South Africans.
Bonang’s comments came as the department faces questions about how it handles money. The auditor-general told Parliament that the department was not properly keeping track of the funds it hands out.
A follow-up investigation confirmed fraud involving some of the people and organisations that received funding from the department, The Citizen reported.
McKenzie was not at that parliamentary meeting. MPs were told he had sent his apologies because he was at the announcement of the 2027 Cricket World Cup match schedule in Cape Town.
His deputy minister was also absent. Senior officials from the department were either not available or left the meeting early, according to reports.
Bonang has used her large social media following before to speak about problems in the entertainment industry. She appeared unhappy with the ongoing debate about funding for cultural events and chances for local artists.
This is not the first time she has taken on an arts and culture minister in public. She earlier held the late Nathi Mthethwa to account over issues facing the entertainment industry.
Source: this article is based on reporting by The Citizen. Image: The Citizen. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Entertainment desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Rirhandzu Baloyi writes about entertainment for Tzaneen Voice. Rirhandzu covers South African music, film, TV, streaming, awards and celebrity news, from amapiano and local soapies to Showmax and Netflix releases. Stories stick to what happened, who was involved and when fans can watch or listen.