Snl24 | Gayton McKenzie slams Mzansi celebs

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie calls celebs to order.

SPORT, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has criticised celebrities for using social media to bully government officials.

McKenzie, known for his outspoken nature on social media, directed his remarks at veteran actor Jack Devnarain after the former Isidingo star accused government of failing to safeguard performers’ rights.

Jack, recognised for his roles in The Ghost and the Darkness, Isidingo, and Mayfair, posted a video on X, highlighting what he described as “systemic silence and negligence” by the government and industry partners. 

“Silence from producers, broadcasters, government, and industry organisations is the sound of failure, and nobody wants to step up and admit they failed to protect the rights of performers, crew, and background actors. The problem is we’ve normalised silence. There should be alarm bells, media statements by government, ministers wagging their fingers — there should be interventions, but instead, there’s just silence,” Jack said.

McKenzie responded to Jack’s remarks in a fiery post on X, expressing frustration over how celebs often engage with government.

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“Many celebrities use social media to bully government officials. They expect us to jump when they speak. I’m different. Your time of exclusive access is over. You might be famous, but you’re not more important than other artists,” McKenzie wrote.

Speaking to Daily Sun, Jack countered McKenzie’s claims, urging the minister to address these matters with clarity and seriousness.

“If this discussion is going to happen on social media, the conversation needs to be technical and precise. These are complex issues involving contracts, legislation, and constitutional matters. Such discussions can’t take place on social media,” Jack said.

He emphasised a need for direct engagement between key partners, including the ministers of sport, arts, and culture, as well as employment and labour.

“We must address these issues at a level of sectors, industries, and organisations, not through personal attacks.”

Jack also called for transparent government intervention and a clear plan to address the exploitation and abuse faced by performers and other industry professionals.

“They can’t claim ignorance or a lack of awareness about the issues. We’re bringing these matters to their attention. The longer they remain silent, the more people will be exploited and abused. We need to hear from them in a transparent way about their plans to resolve these problems,” he said.

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