Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has found himself at the centre of a debate over South Africa’s approach to international entertainment and local creative industry support after media personality Bonang Matheba questioned his plans to bring the Jay-Z30 concert to the country.
The exchange follows McKenzie’s attendance at the Jay-Z30 concert after he was invited by Roc Nation while in France for the Lumière Film Summit.
McKenzie said the experience convinced him that South Africa should host the global entertainment spectacle, but Bonang questioned whether bringing another major international act to the country should be the priority while local artists, awards shows and creative projects continue to need support.
Gayton explains the Roc Nation meeting
McKenzie explained that he was in France attending the Lumière Film Summit when Roc Nation invited him to meet its executives and attend the Jay-Z30 concert.
“Learning I was in France to attend the Lumiere film summit, Roc Nation invited me to meet them and their execs and watch the most talked about show in the world, the Jay-Z30 concert. I insisted this cultural phenomenon simply has to be brought to fans in SA,” he said.
The Jay-Z30 celebrations mark Jay-Z’s three decades in the music industry and have attracted international attention, making the event part of a wider global entertainment conversation.
For McKenzie, the potential value of such an event goes beyond the headline artist.
He pointed to the Chris Brown concert as an example of the employment opportunities that can be generated by major international productions.
“The Chris Brown concert created the biggest job opportunities 4 young people in SA who were considered 2 be unemployable. It was the first time some received a salary,” he said.
“My job as Minister is always to make things easy for our promoters to bring Big Name Artist to SA.”
McKenzie stressed that he does not believe government should simply pay international artists huge amounts to perform in South Africa.
“A Minister paying $15 million to bring an artist to South Africa would be stupidity. But failing to create the conditions for SA to become Africa’s events capital is equally stupid,” he said.
He also defended his record on local industry support.
“For the record: the SAFTAs got their biggest ever budget during my time as Minister. Thank you Mam,” he said in response to Bonang.
Bonang asks: where are the locals?
Bonang’s response was brief but pointed.
“Brought to SA? Why? What about the SAMAs? SAFTAs? The locals need money, Sir!! Let’s start THERE!!”
Her response shifted the conversation from the economic potential of international concerts to the challenges facing South African creatives.
The SAMAs and SAFTAs are established platforms for recognising local music, film and television talent, while local festivals, cultural institutions and independent creatives have also faced funding pressures.
The exchange has since attracted further criticism online.
One social media user directly questioned McKenzie’s priorities while he was in France meeting Roc Nation.
“Minister, while you were in France meeting Roc Nation and watching Jay Z30, Lu Mari du Plessis needed R70k to represent SA in Italy, festivals lost DSAC funding, JAG artworks suffered water damage and SA withdrew from Venice. What did you bring back?” the user posted.
Journalist Duncan Mackay also questioned whether South Africa should be pursuing major international sporting events while domestic sporting governance remains under pressure.
Bonang and Nathi Mthethwa’s history
Bonang’s criticism of McKenzie also echoes her previous public clashes with former Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
During Mthethwa’s tenure, Bonang became one of his most outspoken celebrity critics, particularly over government spending and support for South African talent.
In 2022, she strongly criticised the proposed R22 million South African National Monumental Flag project.
“You’re useless and we all hate you,” Bonang wrote at the time, while also telling Mthethwa that he had “no clue” what he was doing and should “go away”.
Her criticism was not limited to the flag project.
Following Banyana Banyana’s historic 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations victory, Bonang questioned the government’s financial support for the players.
“These girls deserve MONEY! Open. Your. Wallet,” she said in a post directed at Mthethwa.
She later criticised the minister again after he congratulated the team, telling him to “Find a new job!” as she questioned why government officials were celebrating a victory they had not helped cultivate.
The clashes became part of Bonang’s wider reputation for publicly challenging government leaders over their treatment of South African talent.
When Mthethwa was eventually removed from Cabinet in 2023, Bonang reacted to the news with one word: “Wonderful.”
Gayton turns attention to Usain Bolt
McKenzie has continued to promote his vision of positioning South Africa as a destination for major international events.
In another update, he revealed that he had met athletics legend Usain Bolt as South Africa looks to pursue a bid to host the next Ultimate Championship.
“We met with legend Usain Bolt in anticipation of him becoming our global ambassador as we chase a bid to host the next Ultimate Championship,” McKenzie said.
He added a lighter moment from their meeting.
“During the meeting, we watched soccer together on his laptop. He’s a die-hard Man U fan. We can agree on athletics, but not football.”
The meeting forms part of McKenzie’s broader push to attract major international sporting events to South Africa and strengthen the country’s position as an events destination.
The bigger question
The Bonang and McKenzie exchange has highlighted two competing views about the future of South Africa’s creative economy.
McKenzie is arguing that international concerts and sporting events can create jobs, attract tourists, generate business for promoters and suppliers and position South Africa as a major events destination.
Bonang’s argument is that this ambition should not come at the expense of the local industry.
Her question about the SAMAs and SAFTAs speaks to a broader concern among creatives – that South Africa should ensure its own artists, filmmakers, musicians, festivals and cultural institutions are properly supported while pursuing international opportunities.
For now, McKenzie appears determined to pursue both objectives – attracting major international events while defending his department’s support for local programmes.
Bonang, however, is asking the minister to show that the local creative economy is benefiting before celebrating South Africa’s ability to bring the world’s biggest names home.
