Sports department defends McKenzie’s absence from Proteas’ Women’s World Cup final

The department of sport, arts and culture has defended minister Gayton McKenzie's absence from the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup final the Proteas lost against New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates on October 20.

Build One SA leader Mmusi Maimane raised concerns about McKenzie's absence, citing the South Africans' impressive performance in reaching the final, where they lost by 32 runs.

“Why was the minister of sports not there? McKenzie is fine with going to the Springboks because of media attention and all of those things. He's fine with going to the Olympics, but here there's a national team that has managed to make it to the finals and he didn't go,” Maimane said.

“You might debate that there may be cost issues and all sorts of things, but if we are already spending money to go to other sports events surely this was an opportunity to highlight a sport that many South Africans aren't even conscious of watching all the time. It's easy to celebrate those who are celebrated. It's easy to be seen with those people are already conscious of, but here's a women's team that could do with our support. I thought it was a miscalculation to not go.”

The department's community liaison officer Bridgette Mbonambi told TimesLIVE McKenzie cannot attend every sporting event.

“Unfortunately, the minister cannot attend all sporting events. He even returned home immediately after the opening of the Olympics after attending the [opening] ceremony because there is a lot of work to do in South Africa,” she said.

“He had local commitments, and that trip was never planned [by the ICC]. He went to the Wanderers as a guest of CSA to watch the match and support the team.”

McKenzie welcomed the team back to South Africa last week at OR Tambo International Airport, where he expressed his satisfaction with the Proteas' performance.

During the welcome, McKenzie pledged to fight for equal pay for men and women in all sporting codes and announced that the department had donated funds to support the women's cricket team's development.

“We can talk until the cows come home about let's empower women. Until we actually do practical things, all of that is meaningless talk,” Maimane said of the minister's comments.