The sale of Ticketpro, the ticketing company serving Cricket South Africa and the South African Football Association, to a consortium allegedly linked to the Patriotic Alliance has sparked fresh allegations of political patronage in the country’s sports, arts and cultural sectors.
The company was sold by JSE-listed Blu Label Telecoms in May to a women-owned broad-based black economic empowerment consortium. Bakang Lethoko, who previously served as Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie’s chief of staff, became the company’s chief executive officer in June.
According to reports, two other individuals linked to the Patriotic Alliance now serve as directors in the Ticketpro Group’s new corporate structure. The reported shareholders include Astrid Harrison, who has publicly described herself as a “proud, disciplined member” of the PA, and Omphemetse Mokgosi, who was appointed by McKenzie to boards of the National Film and Video Foundation and National Arts Council.
Lethoko served as McKenzie’s chief of staff from August through November 2024 before chairing the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s steering committee for the Formula One bid.
The sale is particularly significant as Ticketpro remains the ticketing service provider for Cricket South Africa’s 2026/27 international home season and appears positioned to handle ticketing for the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup, co-hosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Pattern of appointments raises concerns
The Democratic Alliance has questioned what it describes as a wider pattern of PA-linked individuals being appointed to key positions across the sports, arts and cultural sectors.
Leah Potgieter, DA spokesperson on sports, arts and culture, said the Ticketpro sale is “yet another development that raises questions about the ever-growing overlap between PA-linked individuals and South Africa’s sports, arts, and cultural sectors”.
An investigation in August found that 19 individuals, either linked to the PA or to Minister McKenzie, have been appointed to boards of entities reporting to the department over the past two years. The DA has referred the matter to the Public Protector for investigation.
“This speaks to a wider issue of PA-linked individuals being appointed to key positions across the sports, arts and cultural sectors, especially to entity boards over which DSAC has direct and indirect control,” Potgieter said.
The entities affected include the National Film and Video Foundation, National Library of South Africa, National Arts Council, Boxing South Africa, theatres and museums.
The 2025/26 Mzansi Golden Economy adjudication panel, responsible for decisions involving nearly R110 million in public funding for artists, festivals and cultural organisations, had six members. The DA alleged that three of them – Steve Motale, Vernon Vraagom and Francisco Tejada – were active PA members when appointed.
Minister denies political interference
McKenzie has denied deliberately appointing PA members to boards and said political affiliation was not necessarily known to him. He told Parliament there was no law requiring him to publish the names of people appointed to boards.
A spokesperson for McKenzie said the PA played no formal or informal role in appointing Ticketpro’s chief executive officer and that the minister would not influence any procurement process. The PA likewise said Ticketpro is a private company and that the party had no discussions with it about the appointment.
Blu Label Telecoms described the disposal as arm’s length following an unsolicited approach.
However, Potgieter said the growing presence of PA-linked individuals in key positions poses a serious risk.
“There now exists a severe conflict of interest across these sectors, with PA-linked individuals appointed throughout – a PA patronage legacy that will outlast the Minister’s tenure,” she said.
“South Africans are all too familiar with the dangers of cadre deployment, and it appears that, since entering government, the PA has taken a page from the African National Congress’s handbook.”
Department performance under scrutiny
Potgieter also criticised McKenzie’s absence from most of last week’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture meetings on Thursday and Friday, during which the department defended its poor annual performance.
“In a department where targets regressed by 13% and a lack of consequence management was flagged as a serious risk, the Minister ought to realise that good governance starts with appointing people to lead the department and its entities on merit, not political ties,” she said.
McKenzie was instead attending a Cricket World Cup event and a PA political meeting during the committee sessions.
The DA has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to call McKenzie to account.
In July, the DA asked the Public Protector to investigate McKenzie over alleged breaches of the Executive Ethics Code. In September, the party submitted additional evidence and asked that the investigation be broadened to cover the reported total of at least 19 PA-linked appointees.
No final Public Protector finding has been made public.
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