McKenzie vows to make Bok matches free to air

SPORT, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie is on a mission to make the broadcast of live Springbok Test matches free to poor South African rugby fans, and will be tackling the matter at a special lekgotla next week.

This comes after the SABC announced that it would not be airing the two-Test series against Ireland on the morning of the first match, played in Pretoria last Saturday.

The Springboks are playing the second Test at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban tomorrow.

McKenzie, leader of the Patriotic Alliance, was in attendance at a packed Loftus Versfeld stadium where the Boks beat the Irish visitors 27-20.

Tweeting on Sunday, the minister wrote that millions of underprivileged South Africans could not afford to watch the games on pay channel SuperSport.

“I enjoyed yesterday’s game but felt anger, disappointment and sadness that so many South Africans could not watch. We need them to share the Springbok joy. “We can’t say we are a pro-poor country but don’t have the Boks on SABC. This needs to change. It MUST change. It’s going to change,” McKenzie said.

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— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) July 6, 2024

I enjoyed yesterday’s game but felt anger, disappointment & sadness that so many SAfricans could not watch. We need them to share the Springbok joy. We can’t say we are a pro-poor country but don’t have the Boks on SABC. This needs to change, it MUST change. It’s going to change.

— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) July 7, 2024

Earlier this month, the public broadcaster announced that it had reached a deal with SuperSport to televise the series on SABC2, but delayed at 8.30pm. The live kick-off for the games on July 6 and 13 is at 5pm.

The public broadcaster said that the decision followed the recent urgent litigation at the Competition Appeal Court over the broadcast rights to the matches, which necessitated the SABC reviewing its decision to continue with the sub-licence agreement concluded with MultiChoice, which operates SuperSport.

MultiChoice described the termination of the sub-licensing agreement as “regrettable”, although it fully “respects and accepts” the decision.

“MultiChoice will continue engaging with the SABC in seeking a working relationship that would benefit both viewers and sports bodies,” the broadcaster said.

Asked how McKenzie planned to deal with the broadcast rights issue, spokesperson Cassiday Rangata-Jacob said the minister and the deputy minister, Peace Mabe, have decided that next week, after the lekgotla, they will have a press briefing where they will outline the policies and the direction the department is going to take for the next five years.

“So at the moment, we are asking for lekgotla to finish so that the minister and the deputy minister can, in their press briefing, respond comprehensively to what the ministers announced on social media.”