Springboks anthem singer Talitha Luiters praises Gayton McKenzie for uplifting coloured community

• A young singer who recently made headlines for performing at a major sporting event has publicly praised Minister Gayton McKenzie
• She expressed gratitude for efforts to elevate underrepresented communities in arts and sport, highlighting the importance of visibility and pride
• The message has sparked fresh discussion about her connections to political organisations, without revealing specifics of her past appearances or affiliations

Springboks national anthem performer Talitha Luiters has publicly praised Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, for what she describes as his commitment to giving coloured South Africans a stronger platform in the arts and sporting space.

The 20-year-old from Cape Town who made history as the youngest artist to sing the national anthem before a Springboks Test shared her gratitude in a heartfelt social media post.

The message came after she performed at the Boks’ clash against the Wallabies at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium last weekend, where she was pictured warmly embracing McKenzie.

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“Thank you, Minister Gayton, for giving our coloured community a platform and making sure our voices are finally seen and heard by the world. Your work is helping us step into our power with pride,” she wrote, adding hashtags #ColouredAndProud and #RepresentationMatters.

Look at the pictures below of Talitha performing the national anthem.

A rising voice with political ties

Luiters’ post has reignited speculation about her ties to the Patriotic Alliance (PA). She previously performed at a DSAC event at the Union Buildings in November, in front of President Cyril Ramaphosa, where she hinted at her support for the PA with the slogan #OnsBaizaNie. She later took the stage at a PA rally in Athlone Stadium in May 2024.

Her public words of encouragement are often directed at younger members of her community.

“Dear coloured child. I’m here to remind you that you will soon reap the harvest God has promised you … never give up,” she once posted online.

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McKenzie on identity

McKenzie, himself no stranger to questions about racial identity, recently clarified his heritage in a Facebook Live session.

“I always saw myself as black growing up… so I’m black and coloured, I’m mixed,” he explained.

He went on to describe himself as a “black-skinned coloured” with a Japanese-Irish father and a Sotho mother.

Fans are aggrieved by the false promise of VAR

Since becoming Sports Minister, McKenzie has been vocal about introducing Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to South African football. At one point, he promised VAR would be rolled out in the upcoming season, but has since delayed this timeline.

In a recent parliamentary address, he stated that his ministry is finalising funding for VAR, calling it a necessity due to poor refereeing, which has contributed to negative consequences, such as vandalism of stadiums.

He also highlighted Mamelodi Sundowns’ recent global success, particularly at the Club World Cup, as a factor that could attract more international clubs to South Africa, underscoring the need to fast-track the VAR process.

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Sports Minister's son explains why he does not use his father's surname

Briefly News previously reported that Siwelele FC owner and Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie's son, Calvin Le John, has spoken publicly for the first time since acquiring SuperSport United in a R50 million deal.

Le John addressed speculation surrounding the purchase and explained why he does not carry his father's surname, despite recently confirming that he is indeed McKenzie's son.

Source: Briefly News