The Office of the Public Protector (PP) has promised to conclude before end of August the investigation into allegations that Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie was blocking funding to the South African Roadies Association (Sara).
Association president Freddie Nyathela had filed a complaint against McKenzie, alleging that the minister used “false and slanderous accusations” that Sara had embezzled a R20-million grant it received from the department before he could take over.
According to Nyathela, the drama started in July last year when McKenzie accused the vocal Sara boss of embezzlement during a creative industry workshop at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg in August last year.
He alleged the “false and slanderous accusations” by McKenzie had been used to deny Sara departmental funding.
The department has set aside more than R90-million to fund various national arts organisations, but Nyathela said none of that was coming Sara’s way because of the accusations.
He told Sunday World that McKenzie and the department were “sabotaging Sara”, and the funds blocked were meant to empower youth “with technical and stage skills”.
“The conduct of the minister is egregious and improper for the public office he holds, and he disregards his oath of office. Sara has been improperly prejudiced and discriminated against by the unfortunate conduct of the minister. It is also unfortunate that the minister had to use false and dishonest statements to suppress Sara and block the empowerment of the youth, African children, from being equipped with the technical skills necessary for creative innovators and technologists for the live events and wider creative industries in South Africa and beyond,” wrote Nyathela.
On April 14, Baldwin Neshunzhi, chief PP investigator, replied, saying the minister was expected to respond. “Feedback from the ministry is expected by the end of May.”
But on June 20, a frustrated Nyathela demanded feedback from Ponatshego Mogaladi, the executive manager for investigations at the PP.
On Monday, she responded: “The investigation team is in the process of analysing all the information gathered during the investigation to draw conclusions on the outcome.
“We are prioritising this matter and intend to finalise it before the end of August 2025.”
But Nyathela slammed the PP’s office, charging it had failed him.
“If they took my complaint seriously, I wouldn’t have been the one chasing them for an update. I am disappointed.”
McKenzie and the PP had not commented at the time of publication.
