‘Stop lying to the people’ says Gayton McKenzie in the wake of ‘gravy train Paris Olympics trip’ report

Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie has slammed reports saying that he attended the Paris Olympics for a ‘joyride’, but he has not disputed that it cost taxpayers R800,000.

McKenzie was responding on X to a News24 report with the headline: “Send me! McKenzie’s gravy train to Paris Olympics cost taxpayers R800,000.”

I left the day the Olympics started, I went for government meetings with other Ministers of other countries. I didn’t attend the Olympics, only the opening and I came back to work. I could have stayed but wanted to get to know my new portfolio. Stop lying to people. https://t.co/PupxeEtU5Q

— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) October 14, 2024

Though he made no mention of what the trip cost, or disputed the figure quoted in the report, he went to considerable lengths to explain the work he did in Paris.

Last week, however, McKenzie did confirm in parliament that his trip to the Paris Olympics did cost just over R800,000.

McKenzie told Parliament in a written reply: “Yes, I attended the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The total costs incurred by the department for my attendance at the Games amounted to R804,590.71”.

McKenzie also confirmed that eight officials from his department were also in attendance.

The biggest costs incurred by the department included R215,976 on flights, R113,271 for accommodation and R454,005 on ‘Ground Transport’.

Insisting he was there purely for work, McKenzie said: “I left the day the Olympics started, I went for government meetings with other Ministers of other countries.

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

‘What joyride?’

Not yet ready to put the matter to bed, McKenzie posted four pictures from his trip along with the caption: “I attended six meetings in Paris before the start of the Olympics, I went to the athletic villa to greet our athletes, I attended opening ceremony and watch the hockey, gymnastic & sevens game, I opened Ekhaya village & watched the rest of the Olympic Games on TV. What joyride?”

I attended six meetings in Paris before the start of the Olympics, i went to the athletic villa to greet our athletes, I attended opening ceremony and watch the hockey, gymnastic & sevens game, I opened Ekhaya village & watched the rest of the Olympic Games on TV. What joyride ? pic.twitter.com/UirmMS3Teq

— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) October 15, 2024

On Monday, McKenzie said the SA government were prepared to help the SA Football Association (Safa) with a deposit to bring Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to the Betway Premiership.

McKenzie said bringing VAR to the country would cost around R80 million, along with an additional R70,000 per game.