By Dylan Bettencourt
- Masilo Machaka and Mamello Makha say they must always find private sponsors to watch big soccer matches in other countries.
- Masilo Machaka spoke after sports minister Gayton McKenzie told famous supporter Mama Joy to ask a French partner for money.
High-profile soccer fans Masilo Machaka and Mamello Makha say they do not expect the government or the South African Football Association (Safa) to pay for their trips to big tournaments.
Machaka told the Sowetan that super fans have never received financial support from the government to attend big matches.
He said being a well-known face at local games does not mean getting a free ticket to the World Cup or Afcon.
“For all the international tournaments I’ve attended, I was funded by private people,” he said.
Machaka spoke out after an online clash between sports minister Gayton McKenzie and famous fan Mama Joy Chauke over World Cup funding.
On Sunday, Chauke posted on X to ask Fifa president Gianni Infantino for help. She wants to attend the global tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
McKenzie replied by jokingly telling her to ask her French partner to pay for the trip.
Chauke met Nicolas Pitaud at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
McKenzie wrote that he got her a husband and the partner should pay because Frenchmen are romantic.
Makha agreed with Machaka. The former Bloemfontein Celtic fan now supports Mamelodi Sundowns. She suspects Safa has funded Mama Joy in the past.
Makha said she usually goes to private companies to get sponsors.
“Maybe for Mama Joy because she has been supported by Safa and Danny Jordaan,” she said.
Makha said they do not know the agreement Safa has with Mama Joy. She said she is not entitled to say anyone should take her to these events.
Machaka and Makha went to the recent Afcon in Morocco thanks to a Safa sponsor. The two fans do not have funding for the World Cup yet.
Pictured above: Bafana Bafana fans.
Image source: @BafanaBafana
