McKenzie sparks outrage over cost for Mama Joy’s France trip

Sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie has reignited public outrage after revealing the department spent R700,000 to fund football superfan Joy “Mama Joy” Chauke’s trip to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

The revelation comes after a heated social media exchange earlier this week between the minister and Chauke. The conflict began when McKenzie rejected Chauke’s request for departmental funding to attend the 2026 Fifa World Cup in the US, bluntly suggesting her husband should finance the trip instead. In response, Chauke called for McKenzie’s dismissal, sparking a debate online regarding her perceived sense of entitlement.

In a recent interview with Metro FM, Chauke claimed President Cyril Ramaphosa personally funded her trip to the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

“He took it from his own pocket. I asked him,” Chauke said.

She accused McKenzie of targeting her by proposing a new sponsorship model for club-affiliated fans, noting she does not belong to a specific local football club.

You should have called me and had a meeting with me to ask questions rather than trending with my name. I still need a meeting with you; maybe then you will understand a thing or two

— Joy 'Mama Joy' Chauke to Gayton McKenzie

McKenzie was quick to debunk the claim the president used his personal funds.

“Let me be clear: the president of the country did not pay for Mama Joy’s trips, despite what she may think. The department of sport, arts and culture did,” McKenzie said.

The department previously disclosed a total expenditure of R1.3m to send Chauke and fellow superfan Botha Msila to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. McKenzie highlighted that Chauke’s individual portion for the France excursion amounted to R700,000. The mounting costs led the minister to cancel all future departmental funding for “superfan” international travel.

The figures drew sharp criticism from the public and political figures. Freedom Front Plus leader Corné Mulder was among the most vocal critics, suggesting Chauke “get a real job like millions of other South Africans.”

Despite the backlash, Chauke remains resolute. She has called for a formal meeting with the minister to resolve their differences and explain her value to South African sports.

“You should have called me and had a meeting with me to ask questions rather than trending with my name,” Chauke said. “I still need a meeting with you; maybe then you will understand a thing or two.”

Click here to read article