PA Fires Back as DA Takes Gayton McKenzie to Public Protector Over R110m Grant Claims

• The Democratic Alliance announced plans to submit a dossier to Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka on Thursday, 23 July, over allegations against Minister Gayton McKenzie
• The DA's complaint centres on a jobs-for-pals scheme allegedly benefiting the Patriotic Alliance and the misappropriation of nearly R110 million in MGE grants
• The Patriotic Alliance has fired back at the DA, with its national spokesperson accusing the party of recycling unsubstantiated allegations ahead of November's elections

SOUTH AFRICA — The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has dismissed the Democratic Alliance's (DA) impending complaint to the Public Protector against Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie as "nonsense", warning that the investigation will end the same way all previous ones have.

The DA confirmed it will submit a dossier of evidence to Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka on Thursday, 23 July, calling for a full-scale investigation into McKenzie.

Complaints over 'pay-for-jobs'

The complaint centres on two main allegations: that McKenzie ran a jobs-for-pals scheme benefiting the Patriotic Alliance, and that he presided over the misappropriation of nearly R110 million in public money through the Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) grants programme.

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The party has also indicated that McKenzie's FIFA World Cup trips will be included in the referral. The move follows renewed scrutiny of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture's R31.95 million expenditure linked to the FIFA Club World Cup.

The DA escalated its pressure after McKenzie repeatedly failed to appear before Parliament to account for the administration of R109 905 992 in MGE grants.

PA accuses DA of political panic

PA national spokesperson Steve Motale rejected the complaint outright, describing it as a collection of recycled allegations thrown at the wall in the hope that something would stick.

"It has not stuck before and it will not stick now. Because there is nothing there," Motale said.

He maintained that McKenzie had responded to every question raised in Parliament and through public statements, and had never avoided scrutiny on the matter.

"He has never had anything to hide, and he has never ducked a debate, committee appearance, or follow-up question," Motale said.

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Motale added that McKenzie had been cleared in every previous Public Protector complaint and every prior referral to Parliament's Ethics Committee, saying there was "no reason to expect a different outcome now."

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Western Cape power struggle looms

The PA went further, framing the complaint as a symptom of political anxiety rather than genuine concern for accountability.

"That is political calculation dressed up as concern for good governance. It is born of panic," Motale said.

He accusing the DA of escalating a long-running strategy of targeting the PA with unsubstantiated claims as November's local government elections draw closer.

Motale claimed the Patriotic Alliance was on course to remove the DA from power in the City of Cape Town and in most other municipalities in the upcoming elections.

SA scrutinises McKenzie' R31 million spent

Briefly News reported that South Africans were left unimpressed by Gayton McKenzie whose department spent R31 million on South Africa's FIFA World Cup 2026 programme. McKenzie posted the full breakdown on X, insisting every rand was properly accounted for and in line with the department's mandate. The total figure of R30,945,370.15 was split across five main areas. Official travel for the minister, his support staff, the Director-General and a 14-member project team came to R7.86 million.

Source: Briefly News