Actor Brandon Auret Blasts Minister Gayton McKenzie Over Arts Neglect in Viral Video

• Former Isidingo actor Brandon Auret filmed a heated video calling out Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie
• Auret accused McKenzie of doing nothing for the arts while spending millions of rands to send a delegation abroad for FIFA World Cup activities
• He joins the number of South African creatives who flooded the comments, backing Auret and demanding McKenzie be removed from his position

Former Isidingo: The Need actor Brandon Auret has gone viral after posting a scathing selfie-style video demanding that Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie be removed from office. This is due to McKenzie's public defence of the R31 million spent on South Africa's FIFA World Cup programme, which saw an 18-member delegation travelling to the three host cities.

Auret's frustration was impossible to miss, as he dragged McKenzie for neglecting the arts and culture industry and only focusing on sports.

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Why Brandon dragged McKenzie?

The video comes in the wake of McKenzie's warning that an upcoming Formula One bill would make the World Cup expenditure look modest by comparison, a comment that only added fuel to the fire for South Africa's creative community. Just recently, TV presenter Lawrence Maleka reminded McKenzie of his duties to also include the creative industry.

Auret did not attempt to soften his message. "I'd like to see where that money went, Gayton McKenzie. I'm an actor in this country, and you've done nothing for the arts. Nothing," he said. "And yet you can take a couple of people over to go and film stuff for the World Cup, but you can't actually sort out the DTIC. You can't figure out any of the money that's been wasted for an industry that is falling apart in this country, and you're going on sports trips. Time for you to leave, bro. Get a real person into that position."

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In a caption accompanying the post, Auret doubled down, asking for Gayton to step down:

"@gaytonmckits, when you get moved, you do nothing for the arts. NOTHING but I'll see you at the next funeral of a starving artist who had nothing to listen to your sop story."

Mzansi backs Auret

Below are some of the reactions from online users:

@__quela wrote: "To prove how insensitive and detached he is, he said, 'if you're crying about the WC bill, wait till you see the Formula 1 cost'."

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@thobs.iam added: "I thought late Minister Mthethwa was the pits, but Gayton takes the crown. His disinterest in the Arts is appalling and infuriating. He has to go."

@himynameisgarrith pointed out a small but telling detail: "You've used the incorrect @. It's @gaytonmck."

Sizwe pokes fun at McKenzie

In a previous report from Briefly News, Sizwe Dhlomo poked fun at Gayton McKenzie's viral video defending the R31 million FIFA World Cup spend.

The minister's Formula One warning divided South Africans and sparked criticism online.

Source: Briefly News