Sport, Arts & Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has mounted a forceful defence of his department’s R2.1m car hire bill, arguing it is not a case of excess – but the direct outcome of a formal security risk assessment that placed him in a higher threat category.

Responding to parliamentary questions from MP Dereleen James, McKenzie said the spending – averaging about R350 000 a month over six months – was driven by security demands identified by the SAPS, not personal preference.

At the centre of his justification is a 2024 SAPS threat assessment conducted at the start of his term, which concluded he requires a larger, more capable security convoy due to his frequent travel between Pretoria and Cape Town. 

TimesLIVE reports that according to McKenzie, that assessment dictates not just the number of vehicles – but the type.

‘It is also necessary that these vehicles can accelerate and reach speeds to escape dangerous situations more easily,’ he said.

He rejected any suggestion that the expenditure was irregular, stating that all car hire was processed through official procurement channels and complies with National Treasury regulations.

McKenzie anchored his security concerns in the deadly political climate of KZN.

Referring to figures from Salga, he said 39 councillors were killed in the province in 2024 alone, while nearly 100 municipal councillors, party officials and senior municipal figures have been assassinated there over the past decade.

He said an attempt to cut costs by using his own vehicles and supplementing SAPS protection with private personnel was rejected on both operational and legal grounds.

Full TimesLIVE report