'WE CAN'T OPERATE LIKE THIS': MPs to escalate their grievances to Speaker.

Members of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture erupted in frustration on Tuesday, 9 June 2026 after the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture's political and administrative leadership failed to attend a scheduled meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the department's fourth-quarter performance for the 2025/26 financial year.

Minister Gayton McKenzie, Deputy Minister Peace Mabe and Director-General Dr Cynthia Khumalo did not attended the meeting, prompting committee members from across the political spectrum to question whether Parliament's oversight role was being deliberately undermined.

The meeting was expected to consider the department's fourth-quarter performance report. Instead, members spent much of the session expressing anger over what they described as a recurring pattern of cancelled meetings, unanswered questions and absent officials.

Committee Chairperson, Joseph McGluwa informed members that the Minister and Deputy Minister were attending World Cup-related activities, while the Director-General was also absent.

"The Department doesn't take this Committee seriously"

Matsholo Mmolotsane expressed her dissatisfaction, saying she had previously asked who from the department would be attending the World Cup and what exactly will they be doing at the World Cup.

"I asked because I knew that people who were supposed to go to the World Cup were left behind and those who were not supposed to go are the ones who actually went," she said.

She then questioned the department's commitment to parliamentary accountability.

"When it's time to be accountable there will be no reports. The Department doesn't take this Portfolio Committee seriously. I am not sure if they're getting an instruction to undermine this Committee."

She argued that the committee could no longer continue operating under such circumstances.

"It's time to take this matter to the Chair of Chairs and to the Speaker of Parliament. We cannot be operating like this," she said.

"As soon as we approve budgets they disappear"

Gift Motaung echoed Mmolotsane's concerns, saying members had been informed about the meeting schedule long in advance.

"Mmolotsane said a mouthful. What's happening at DSAC is so sad. This schedule was sent a long time ago and they were supposed to set time for this," he said.

He accused the department's leadership of failing to prioritise parliamentary oversight.

"It seems as if they don't care about this Department. We need to be firm and write a letter stating that we'll never hold any meeting, especially meetings that need the Minister, Deputy Minister and Director-General, without them," he said.

He said that Parliament approves departmental budgets only for senior officials to disappear from accountability processes.

"We approve budgets but as soon as we approve they disappear. This thing of dodging meetings and questions needs to stop,"

"Department of lies and promises"

Eugene Mthethwa delivered one of the harshest criticisms of the day, describing the department as a "Department of lies and promises".

"This entity has become the Department of lies and promises," Mthethwa said.

He asked one of the officials whether he would be able to respond to questions directed at the Minister, Deputy Minister, Director-General, Vusumuzi Mkhize, Zwelakhe Mbiba and Charles Mabaso, among others. The official indicated that he would not.

Calls for Parliamentary summons

Tebogo Letsie proposed that Parliament use its constitutional powers to compel attendance by senior officials.

"It can't be that, now and then our meetings are postponed. I think it's time we commission Section 56 of the Constitution by summoning individuals to appear before the committee," he said.

He argued that the committee should formally approach both the Speaker and the Chair of Chairs, documenting the number of meetings that had been cancelled because of absent officials.

"We need to apply to the Speaker and state that this has become a norm and that we are forced to cancel our meetings," Letsie suggested.

Committee moves towards escalation

Members supported writing to the Speaker of Parliament and the Chair of Chairs to formally register their dissatisfaction with what they described as a growing pattern of non-attendance by the department's leadership.

The confrontation marks the latest in a series of tensions between the Portfolio Committee and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, with members increasingly questioning the department's willingness to account to Parliament.