By Dylan Bettencourt
- Sports minister Gayton McKenzie said the government will not pay for Mama Joy to go to the 2026 World Cup.
- McKenzie told the fan her husband should pay for the trip because the government must save money for struggling athletes.
Sports minister Gayton McKenzie said superfan Mama Joy will not get government money for her trip to the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The soccer tournament will take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026.
In the past, the department paid for fans to attend big games. This included the 2023 Rugby World Cup. That trip cost the public about R1.3-million.
When McKenzie took over the job, he said he would stop these payments. He said he wants to save money for South African athletes who are struggling.
Mama Joy said she was disappointed on the social media site X. She said she was not happy and even said she wants a new minister.
McKenzie replied to her post and said her husband should pay for the trip. He said her husband is a romantic Frenchman and should foot the bill.
“We got you a husband, my sister. Let him pay for the love of his life. The Euro is very strong. Frenchmen are known to be romantic. Let him pay, Sista Joy,” he said.
This decision is a big change for the minister. In February, he told people he would run competitions to send 50 fans to the World Cup.
He called himself the “Minister of Happiness” back then. He said he would take dancers and podcasters with him to show off South Africa to the world.
Now, the department is moving away from those earlier words. DA MP Leah Ruth Potgieter asked the department how much this would cost the public.
The department said it has not set aside any money for fans to go to the USA. It said the minister was just talking about a plan for branding. No travel plans have been approved yet.
Pictured above: Mama Joy and Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
Image source: Mama Joy/X
