The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has hit back at kwaito star Arthur Mofokate.
A week ago, Mafokate publicly challenged McKenzie and asked the minister about a list of sector leaders.
Mafokate wrote: “Dear Minister Gayton McKenzie. Well done on your work in the sports sector.
“May you humbly please furnish us with names of people that you have invited to our industry meeting on the 28th of October, criteria used for selection, organisations they represent, sectors they belong to, as well as their membership status.
“Sorry for using social media as a platform; we have tried other avenues.”
Mafokate’s question was based on the minister’s bosberaad held on August 29 at the Birchwood Hotel.
Mafokate rejected by key industry players
In that meeting, McKenzie instructed artists to appoint an interim structure to lead the industry.
About 55 people were nominated to serve in the interim structure.
Mafokate was present at the meeting and offered his name, but the key players in the sector strongly rejected him.
A month later, McKenzie invited the interim structure for a feedback session, and Mafokate was not invited.
This did not go down well with him. The musician later took to social media and demanded answers from the minister.
On Monday, McKenzie delivered a scathing message to Mafokate.
“You see, I don’t know how you used to do staff with other ministers, but I want you to know that you can continue doing staff with those ministers,” wrote McKenzie.
“I’m here now, and it’s not by luck. You’re not going to tell me how to do my job or who to work with. If you want to tell me how to do my job, you must become a minister.
“Times have changed, and we are starting afresh. Who’s Arthur Mafokate? He’s nothing. He has a nerve of asking me the names of the sector leaders.”
People cannot account for millions they received
McKenzie continued: “Who does he think he is? Not by Gayton McKenzie; I don’t have political friends here. I just want to make that one clear. If he were here, I’d have asked him whether I should report to him.
“There’s very good artists who’ve been ignored mainly because they are not connected. I see the millions that have been paid, and those millions don’t even have reports.
“People cannot even account for the millions they received.”
It is public knowledge that Mafokate and his companies have been receiving millions of rands from the government, but the money was allegedly used for his personal gains.
In a recent case, the Special Investigation Unit seized the musician’s Midrand property.
