Gayton McKenzie causes chaos in cultural sector, reneging on promises of support

The minister of sports, arts and culture has left two cultural institutions in the Cape – the Suidoosterfees and the Baxter Theatre – hanging, jeopardising incomes and opportunities for artists.

Worse still, it appears that McKenzie’s office and his department simply ghost any approaches for engagement or explanation while artists are left in financial limbo. 

Earlier this year, on stage with journalist Mia Spies at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) – established in Outshoorn 30 years ago – McKenzie unequivocally promised to support the country’s festivals. 

Ever The Joker, he enjoyed the applause and cheering that came with the undertaking.

The Sound of Silence

In August 2024, McKenzie engaged Baxter Theatre management and CEO and artistic director Lara Foot with the aim of supporting the theatre’s sustainability and future growth.

The Baxter receives less than a quarter of its overall funding from an operational grant from the University of Cape Town. It is up to the theatre itself to raise income over and above this to keep the lights on and provide a platform for the arts.

The Baxter pays all amenity bills, as well as security, cleaning and other costs, and there is pressure for the theatre to become a more independent entity as the needs of students grow. 

The theatre already produces at least five new works a year. Support would enable at least five more, Foot wrote in a proposal to McKenzie’s office after the face-to-face meeting.

Over and above this, the Baxter’s fledgling Fires Burning company of five fulltime actors could grow and offer security to more artists to create their best work.

Foot and Baxter management provided the minister and his office with a detailed breakdown of costs, including a request for the establishment of a National Touring Company. 

And then… radio silence.

“As a South African theatre that has an international reputation, I would have expected the minister or his office to at least reply or to offer an explanation,” Foot told Daily Maverick.

Empty promises

Months down the line, McKenzie has also dropped the Suidoosterfees, one of the most prestigious and accessible festivals in Cape Town. 

The festival has been staged in the Mother City for more than 20 years, relying on private and some local and national government sponsorship. And at the KKNK, from the stage McKenzie explicitly promised the department’s continued support.

“I had a meeting with the people of the Suidoosterfees,” he told those gathered, adding that “we must have more festivals that our artists can earn something”.

On 24 July, Suidoosterfees CEO Jana Hattingh wrote to McKenzie’s office requesting “guidance” after the department put the iconic festival in a precarious position, withdrawing funding for two flagship projects.

This followed the rejection of an application by the Suidoosterfees for support from the department’s controversial Mzansi Golden Economy initiative. This is McKenzie’s commitment “to make strategic investments to optimise the economic benefit of the arts in South Africa”, but the application process has been opaque and a shambles.

However, Sunday World’s Zama Nteyi has revealed that the Mzansi Golden Economy as well as the application process has attracted the attention of parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture. 

Chairperson Joe McGluwa told Nteyi that the committee had received a number of “disturbing complaints” from across the industry, including “repeated funding to the same companies, newly registered entities receiving money, and serious compliance issues”.

The problems could no longer be ignored, said McGulwa.

Pulling the rug

“Just before the staging of our festival at the end of April/beginning of May 2025, we were informed that the provincial flagship projects of the national department would not continue,” Hattingh wrote to the minister in July.

“No reasons have been provided by the department for rejecting our application, despite several email and telephonic enquiries to which we received no response.”

When McKenzie had stated publicly that the Suidoosterfees would indeed receive support from the department “we relied on your promise of financial assistance. We even acknowledged [the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS)] as a main sponsor of Suidoosterfees during our festival in Cape Town, which followed the KKNK,” Hattingh noted.

The inner-city festival in 2025 had created 4,049 jobs and issued 32,814 tickets, while 8,000 pupils from grades 1 to 12 attended SOF Junior, the children’s festival. For many this was their first exposure to theatre and the arts.

“The sudden withdrawal of both national and provincial government flagship funding has placed Suidoosterfees in a precarious financial position. For the festival to continue and sustainably generate employment, we are dependent on the support of your department”.

DCAS said the Suidoosterfees received funding for the current financial year as well as the past 13 years.

“The Suidoosterfees received funding of R216,634 from DCAS in the 2024/25 financial year. They will also be receiving further funding in the current financial year, which is currently in [the] process of being finalised,” said Guy Redman, head of the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.

“Our department has consistently funded the festival for at least the past 13 years.”

It has been radio silence from McKenzie, however.

Daily Maverick has contacted McKenzie’s office through his media spokesperson, offering a right to reply on the matters at hand. We will update this story when and if such a response is forthcoming. DM

This article has been updated to reflect that the withdrawal of Western Cape provincial flagship funding placed Suidoosterfees in a precarious financial position. It’s also been updated to include a comment from Guy Redman, head of the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.