Minister Gayton McKenzie donating his first ministerial salary to struggling Kagiso-based art gallery

 

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie all smiles with the owners of the Backyard Art Gallery Restaurant in Kagiso, Krugersdorp. Picture: X

Newly appointed Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie has garnered praise on social media after announcing that he will donate his first ministerial salary to the Backyard Art Gallery Restaurant in Kagiso.

McKenzie announced on his X account on Sunday, that he will be donating his first salary to the three owners of the art gallery.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an expanded national executive on Sunday night, with 32 Cabinet ministers and 42 deputy ministers to lead the seventh administration of South Africa.

Ramaphosa appointed Patriotic Alliance leader McKenzie as the new Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture for the 7th administration, succeeding Zizi Kodwa.

McKenzie visited the gallery at the weekend, where he admired the beautiful artwork and interacted with the artists behind the creations.

He posted a thread of five pictures on his X account showing him admiring stunning artwork and engaging with the owners of the art gallery.

In his first picture, displaying the art gallery's logo, McKenzie captioned that he was deeply moved when his deputy minister, Peace Mabe, informed him about the challenges faced by artists in Kagiso.

A thread: I was deeply touched when the DM @SportArtsCultur told me abt the plight of artist in Kagiso, I couldn’t believe that they managed to keep this gallery open despite the many obstacles. It is truly a heartbreaking afternoon for me. pic.twitter.com/hGWkzE7Msn

He expressed disbelief that the owners of the art gallery managed to keep it open despite facing numerous obstacles.

“It is truly a heartbreaking afternoon for me,” he wrote.

In the second picture, he revealed that despite mentoring many young kids and keeping them off the streets, the three owners of the place have been treated with disdain.

“Children as young as 4 years old visit this gallery which is the second art gallery in the township.”

In the third picture he posted, McKenzie can be seen posing happily with a woman who is one of the artists on the veranda of the establishment.

He mentioned that she told him they sell the artworks at any price due to lack of funds for transportation after attending various markets.

“One of the ladies told me that at times they must just accept any price for their craft because of a lack of taxi money to go back home whenever they are at rye different markets,” he wrote.

Last week, McKenzie announced that he will donate 100% of his parliamentary salary to the Joshlin Smith Foundation for missing children.

He is set to earn R2.68 million annually from his ministerial position and is expected to occupy the post for the next five years. Had he remained an ordinary Member of Parliament, his salary would have remained at R1.27 million.

“I dedicated my salary as a Minister to the registered Joshlin Smith Foundation for missing children, the lawyers are in final stages of registering the foundation although I already received the first salary which has not been paid over until finalisation of the foundation,” he wrote as he captained the third picture.

McKenzie wrapped up the series of posts with a photo, smiling alongside the three owners of the art gallery—one woman and two men, announcing that he has instructed his lawyers to donate his first salary to them.

“I have instructed lawyers to pay over my first salary to this gallery and the money should be shared by these 3 tremendous artists.

“I sat with the artist and listened to their many problems whilst waiting until the money was in their different accounts. I saw gratitude mixed with tears,” he wrote.

His post gained significant attention, and he received praise from netizens for his commendable support of the art gallery.