Sports minister Gayton McKenzie and South African superfan Joy “Mama Joy” Chauke, share a moment as mourners to gather at Grace Bible Church in Soweto for the funeral service of the late soccer legend Stanley ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala SA minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie (left) and SuperFan Mama Joy (right).
Image: Picture: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
Minister of Sports, Art and Culture Gayton McKenzie and South African super sports fan Joy “Mama Joy” Chauke are embroiled in a spat on social media related to the FIFA World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico later this year.
Bafana are set to feature at the World Cup for the first time since hosting the showpiece back in 2010. Hugo Broos’ side are in Group A, where they will face co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City in the World Cup open before facing Czech Republic in Atlanta, Georgia and South Korea in Monterrey.
Previous SAC ministers have set aside a budget for “super fans” such as Mama Joy, Botha Msila, Masilo Machaka, Diana ‘Lady Dee Iron Lady’ Matli and Mamello Makha to travel to foreign destinations to support Bafana at away matches.
However, McKenzie’s Department of Sports and Culture have sent out a notice they will not be following suit with no travel budget set aside for fans hoping to attend the FIFA World Cup in June.
This has incensed Mama Joy, who voiced her frustration on X by tagging FIFA president Gianni Infantino, even going as far to bequest President Cyril Ramaphosa to axe McKenzie in order to replace him with someone who is more willing to accommodate her.
“To all South fans, let’s just accept no World Cup for us. Minister Gayton McKenzie and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture won’t be able to help us,” said Mama Joy.
“You are on your own. Let’s just pray for the [SA] president [Cyril Ramaphosa] to give us a new Minister of Sport who loves fans.
“Thanks, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Bafana Bafana has qualified. I would like to be there. I am asking for any help from anyone to help me attend the World Cup 2026. McKenzie won’t pay for fans, especially Mama Joy.”
Instead of taking the bait, McKenzie responded in a humorous fashion, by calling on Mama Joy to ask her French husband Nicholas “Papa Joy” Pitaud.
Joy met Pitaud at the Rugby World Cup 2007, where she was supporting the Springboks.
“We got you a husband, my sister; let him pay for the love of his life. The Euro is very strong, Frenchmen are known to be romantic, let him pay Sista Joy,” McKenzie said on X.
“Why should I lie using diplomatic language. Our policy is not under review. Should I mislead people by soothing them? We are not going to pay for super fans as a department. It’s unfair because South Africa is full of super fans.”