Gayton McKenzie Defends Salary, Promises Joslin Smith Foundation Launch

• The Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has provided a breakdown of how he donated his salary to worthy causes
• This was after members of the public criticised him for not establishing a Joslin Smith Foundation as promised
• South Africans defended him on social media and assured him that there was no need for him to divulge how he spends his salary

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

JOHANNESBURG — Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie shared how he has spent his ministerial salary since he was appointed to President Cyril Ramaphosa's cabinet.

McKenzie defends salary

@GaytonMcK posted a statement showing how he spent his earnings as the minister since he was sworn in after the 2024 general elections. He had previously promised to create the Joslin Smith Foundation, but to date, it has not materialised.

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McKenzie donated the R63,081 he earned in June to the Kagiso Art Gallery, Themba Ntaka, and Maria Letebele. He spent his August salary on the Hond Se Baas Spinning Initiative. He also donated R100,000 to the Weet Jou Ma Jy Spin and his September salary to charity organisations, a school, and a funeral.

He also said he did not want to rush into creating the foundation and wanted to do it correctly.

View the tweet here:

Netizens defend him

South Africans stood by him.

Lindo Mnisi said:

"Dear minister, do not respond to everything."

Nelisiwe said:

"Gayton, you didn't have to explain yourself to the complaining mongers as we believe that when you give it, it must be in private."

Roman Cabanac said:

"No one should dictate how you spend your own money."

Gina said:

"Ask those who asked you to do the same."

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Son of the soil said:

"History in the making."

McKenzie calls for spaza shop closure

In a related article, Briefly News reported that McKenzie called for foreign-owned spaza shops to be closed.

He said the owners must be arrested and deported to prevent more children from dying from allegedly eating food from spaza shops.

Source: Briefly News