Minister Gayton McKenzie changes his story on Olympic trip

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has contradicted himself about his trip to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Initially, he told Parliament, “Yes, I attended the Olympics.” However, he later posted on social media that he “only attended the opening” and then returned to work. He even admitted to watching hockey, gymnastics, and rugby Sevens.

News24 reported that McKenzie’s trip cost taxpayers over R800,000.

Gayton McKenzie

In response, he stated on X, “I left the day the Olympics started for government meetings with other ministers.

I didn’t attend the Olympics, only the opening and I came back to work. I could have stayed, but I wanted to get to know my new portfolio. Stop lying to people.”

However, this information comes from McKenzie himself, who previously confirmed in writing that he did attend the Olympics and that the total cost was R804,590.71.

Many users on X shared his original statement in response to his later claims.

In his response to a question about expenses, he detailed that R215,976.36 was spent on flights and R454,005.00 on “ground transport,” without explaining what that meant.

Other costs included R592.63 for insurance, R113,271.00 for accommodation, and R20,745.72 for allowances.

Despite saying he “only attended the opening,” McKenzie later clarified, “I attended six meetings in Paris before the start of the Olympics, I went to the athletic villa to greet our athletes, I attended [the] opening ceremony and watched the hockey, gymnastics and sevens game. I opened Ekhaya village and watched the rest of the Olympic Games on TV. What joyride?”

He did not explain why his flights cost over R200,000 or why “ground transport” was more than R450,000. His parliamentary responses did not mention any ministerial meetings.

On 24 July, his department announced he would undertake a “meet and greet session to give words of encouragement to Team South Africa at the welcome luncheon organised by the SA Ambassador to France, Mr Nathi Mthethwa,” following a meeting with Commonwealth ministers.

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