Celeb Twitter Round-Up: Bonang Matheba Blasts Minister McKenzie Over JAY-Z30

South Africans have a love/hate relationship when it comes to celebrities, but it’s mostly hate if a politician enters the fray. The political sphere of the nation has MANY polarising figures, and one such soul dared demonstrate to make this point while doing what they do best: having a jol on everyone’s dime.

Last Friday, 11 September, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie uploaded several photos of himself enjoying the Lumiere film summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. He claimed that event organisers, Roc Nation, had invited him to meet their executives at the prestigious ceremony. In the same breath, he proclaimed that the same sort of gathering must happen in Mzansi.

Unfortunately, the country has endured plenty of officials who have a talent for blowing hot air and not much else. One such user made her feelings plain and obvious, a sentiment that many across the nation share.

Another chose their time to doubt the Minister’s claim, while providing a concrete amount for the festivity.

Three days later, Bonang Matheba picked up her phone, logged into Twitter/X and gave Minister McKenzie a piece of her mind. While she put him on blast, she highlighted how desperately local events needed state support.

Talk about using your platform! Her irritation found fans and several online users agreed with the 39-year-old radio personality’s points, while expanding on how the local investment could enhance what was already built.

Some were just happy to see a big name taking on an out-of-touch politician, who seemed oblivious to his opulent living.

Astonishingly, the Minister responded the very next day, telling Matheba that paying an artist to perform would not help, nor would failing to create the necessary conditions. He went on to admit that the South African Film and Television Awards had received a substantial increase in their budget under his tenure.

However, another user poked holes in the statement by voicing that the department had withdrawn its annual grant to the annual, long-standing and well-known National Arts Festival for no apparent reason.

A citizen of Mzansi pleaded directly with the Minister to find sponsors for a local men’s netball team, highlighting the plight of athletes in the country who often struggle with funding.

Without missing a beat, Matheba hit back, demanding that South African funding be made available for facilitating conditions that would ultimately benefit her fellow citizens.

Of course there’s always ONE person who goes against the crowd, and Minister McKenzie actually found one supporter who not only defended him but chose to criticise Matheba.

Luckily there are souls who hit back just as quickly to dismiss people looking to try and defend the indefensible.

And on top of that, there are plenty of brains in South Africa as well as those who wish to see the nation prosper, as one person who corrected that the government has the power to create the conditions for an industry to grow by providing regulatory a framework and, most importantly, funding to establish such infrastructure.

Mzansi has good people wanting to see it succeed and those who cause endless grey hairs. Thankfully it has more of the former than the latter, so hope floats!

Image Credit: Source