South Africa’s Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has often been the focus of protests by the country’s artists. A string of ministers and former ministers have been tainted by claims of favouritism, corruption and elitist practices when it comes to funds.
The new minister overseeing the department is Gayton McKenzie, an opposition politician who earned the post through negotiations to form a 2024 government of national unity. Leaving sport aside for now, we asked some arts policy researchers to tell us who McKenzie is and what he should do to fix the department and grow the cultural industries.
