ActionSA Lodges Ethics Complaint Against Minister McKenzie for Misleading Parliament
Press Statement by Athol Trollip MP
ActionSA Parliamentary Caucus Leader
ActionSA has lodged an ethics complaint against Minister Gayton McKenzie following his misleading reply to our Parliamentary Question regarding the recent “Mokoena-Gate” saga, which nearly cost Bafana Bafana their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup – their first qualification since 2002.
On 29 September 2025, Minister McKenzie publicly claimed in a Departmental Statement that he had called for an investigation and report into the incident to hold those responsible for the gross negligence to account. However, in his official reply to Parliament, it was revealed that no formal investigation had in fact been initiated.
Despite this, in recent media interviews the Minister contradicted his own Parliamentary reply, claiming that an investigation had indeed taken place and that the case was now closed. This inconsistency raises serious questions about whether the Minister misled Parliament and the public.
Such conduct is deeply concerning. It is unacceptable for a Cabinet Minister to provide contradictory or false information about actions supposedly taken in his capacity as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture. This behaviour undermines the integrity of Parliament and erodes public trust in government accountability.
While ActionSA acknowledges the limitations imposed by FIFA regulations, which restrict political interference in the affairs of football associations, there is no prohibition of demanding that SAFA gets its house in order and hold its officials accountable, these constraints do not excuse disingenuous or misleading conduct.
Ministers must be transparent about what they can and cannot do, and what they’ve actually done, rather than making false assurances to the public.
ActionSA will continue to hold members of the Executive to the highest ethical standards and ensure that truthfulness and accountability remain central to the conduct of public office.
ActionSA Lodges Ethics Complaint Against Minister McKenzie for Misleading Parliament
ActionSA has lodged an ethics complaint against Minister Gayton McKenzie following his misleading reply to our Parliamentary Question regarding the recent “Mokoena-Gate” saga, which nearly cost Bafana Bafana their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup – their first qualification since 2002.
On 29 September 2025, Minister McKenzie publicly claimed in a Departmental Statement that he had called for an investigation and report into the incident to hold those responsible for the gross negligence to account. However, in his official reply to Parliament, it was revealed that no formal investigation had in fact been initiated.
Despite this, in recent media interviews the Minister contradicted his own Parliamentary reply, claiming that an investigation had indeed taken place and that the case was now closed. This inconsistency raises serious questions about whether the Minister misled Parliament and the public.
Such conduct is deeply concerning. It is unacceptable for a Cabinet Minister to provide contradictory or false information about actions supposedly taken in his capacity as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture. This behaviour undermines the integrity of Parliament and erodes public trust in government accountability.
While ActionSA acknowledges the limitations imposed by FIFA regulations, which restrict political interference in the affairs of football associations, there is no prohibition of demanding that SAFA gets its house in order and hold its officials accountable, these constraints do not excuse disingenuous or misleading conduct.
Ministers must be transparent about what they can and cannot do, and what they’ve actually done, rather than making false assurances to the public.
ActionSA will continue to hold members of the Executive to the highest ethical standards and ensure that truthfulness and accountability remain central to the conduct of public office.