McKenzie responds to criticism over support for late actress Nandi Nyembe
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has pushed back against criticism that he neglected veteran actress Nandi Nyembe, who died on August 23 at the age of 75.
Nyembe, celebrated for her roles in Yizo Yizo, Zone 14 and Adulting, passed away after battling health and financial difficulties, sparking debate over how South Africa treats its arts legends.
McKenzie came under fire from the arts community and social media users, with the Unemployed and Unashamed Movement accusing him of failing to support Nyembe while she was alive. The movement demanded that he disclose government spending on her memorial and present a plan to assist struggling artists.
Responding on social media, McKenzie insisted he had offered direct support to Nyembe and her family. “Upon hearing of the dire situation of Nyembe, I immediately sent her R20,000. She thanked me profusely,” he said.
“Upon being notified of her death I took first flight out of Cape Town to visit the children. I was warmly received. The daughter seemed very concerned about the body of her mom at state morgue, I made a few calls and body was moved to mortuary that will bury her, without anyone asking me, I gave daughter another 10k for cakes and tea for guest who will visit house.”
“I offered my children’s money, not the department’s, to assist more. I can’t be told by people who only rock up when cameras are present,” McKenzie declared, dismissing accusations of neglect as “abuse and lies.”
The controversy has reignited calls for systemic reform in the creative sector. Siphesihle Shabalala of the Unemployed and Unashamed Movement said, “Mama Nandi died unemployed, unassisted, and unseen by the system. We demand policies that ensure artists can live off their legacies.”
Meanwhile, Jack Devnarain, chairperson of the SA Guild of Actors, highlighted Nyembe’s professional ethos. “She didn’t want handouts; she wanted a script,” he said, urging urgency in finalizing the long-delayed Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill, which could secure royalty rights for actors.
As tributes pour in for Nyembe, McKenzie has vowed to add