New details emerge about Gayton McKenzie’s almost R2-million Havana Book Fair jamboree

Of the 15 “literary practitioners” sent by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) to represent South Africa at the Havana International Book Fair in February, more than a third were self-published authors. 

Four were self-help writers. Three were evangelical pastors. One is famous not as a writer, but as a musician – who happens to have published a memoir.

Controversy continues to swirl around the delegation, first spotlighted by writer Patric Tariq Mellett on Facebook and subsequently reported on by City Press on 16 February. 

As parliamentarians continue to press for answers from Minister Gayton McKenzie, the leader of the Patriotic Alliance, more details are emerging to fan the flames.

The department had not responded to repeated requests for comment from Daily Maverick at the time of publishing (see questions to the Minister at the end of the article).

Delegation cost more than R2-million

In response to questions from EFF MP Sinawo Tambo, the department has revealed that it spent a total of R1,865,449.05 on the cost of travel, visas, accommodation and a “participation fee” for each delegate.

Not included in those figures: the bill for three additional department officials who attended the event, as well as Deputy Minister Peace Mabe.

Asked by Tambo whether all 15 delegates were “credible writers who met the criteria to attend the fair”, the department responded:

“The selection was based on the set criteria which looked at provincial and racial criteria, the inclusion of authors living with disabilities and gender representativity, as well as potential to represent the country at an international level.”

McKenzie has claimed personal responsibility for the composition of the delegation, writing on Facebook: 

“I received a list that I am supposed to sign for writers and poets to go to Cuba. I am the final signatory as the Minister of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. I took one look at that list and told the acting director general, chief of staff and my spokesperson that I want to see more inclusion.”

Did the department mislead Parliament?

In its parliamentary responses, the department claimed that it received a “comprehensive list” of 35 literary practitioners and selected 15 from it.

The committee asked to draw up the list consisted of the secretary-general of the National Writers Association of South Africa (NWASA) Dr Lance Nawa, the SA Booksellers Association President Melvin Kaabwe and the national coordinator of the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors’ Association of South Africa Samukelisiwe Mfuphi.

Nawa sent Daily Maverick the list of names longlisted for consideration by the committee, which totalled 36 people, and the final shortlist of 21 which was recommended to the department.

Across both lists, just one of their recommendations – NWASA president Molaodi Wa Sekake – made it on to the final delegation. All other recommendations appear to have been discarded.

McKenzie claimed on Facebook that he was unhappy with the list he received due to concerns about racial representivity.

“I was clear that it should have coloured and white people also. I will never be ashamed of my instruction,” he wrote.

But the list submitted to the department seen by Daily Maverick included black, white, coloured and Indian delegates. (There were no Indian delegates in McKenzie’s final choices.)

The names submitted were well-known figures on the local publishing scene, including Justin Fox, Winston Mohapi, Zukiswa Wanner, CA Davids and Nathi Ngubane.

In terms of the actual delegation which ended up being sent, Daily Maverick asked a local publishing executive, who requested to remain nameless, how many could be considered to have a recognised profile. 

They identified just four out of 15: Afrikaans Young Adult novelist Annerle Barnard, English and Setswana novelist Tuelo Gabonewe, Sunday Times Fiction award nominee Sven Axelrad and musician and former Idols judge Unathi Nkayi.

Cuba’s requests were also ignored

Poet Ntsiki Mazwai has also claimed that she was one of three poets specifically requested by the Cuban literary community to form part of the delegation, but not selected.

Daily Maverick has verified that this is true.

At the Havana Book Fair, an anthology consisting of the poetry of Harry Owen, Keorapetse Kgositsile and Ntsiki Mazwai was launched under the title “The Gods Wrote: Three South African Poets”.

Cuban poet Leymen Perez confirmed to Daily Maverick this week that he had suggested that these poets be included in the delegation.

“I made a very brief and modest selection of poets from your nation with the aim of introducing them in Cuba,” Perez said.

He said that the president of the Cuban Book Institute had in turn made this request to South African authorities – evidently without success.

“The authorities of your country selected the members of their delegation, and we respect that decision because no one can interfere in a country’s internal affairs,” Perez said.



How did the final 15 make the cut?

It is still unclear where the names eventually favoured by McKenzie came from.

“It’s concerning and regrettable that the process has been deeply flawed and lacking in transparency,” PEN South Africa chair Bongani Kona told Daily Maverick.

In December 2024, McKenzie vowed to support musician Unathi Nkayi during his ministerial term.

“While I’m the minister, she will represent us on stages,” McKenzie said.

He claimed on Facebook: “I have previously met only two people on that list and I met them once, I don’t have not [sic] a singles person phone number on that list.”

At least one of the other delegates, meanwhile, has a known link to McKenzie’s political party the Patriotic Alliance: Carl Hendricks, described as a “renowned homeletician” (evangelical preacher).

Hendricks is the self-published author of One Team One Dream: Insights on Leadership from a Formula One Perceptive. He also has a You Tube blog called The Insights Series, on which he has previously interviewed McKenzie.

Hendricks is the founder of the Johannesburg-based Crystal Church, which as recently as February appears to have hosted a church service for the Patriotic Alliance.

He was embroiled in a scandal in 2016 involving a R4-million property purchase by his church, following which complaints were lodged against him with religious watchdog, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL).

Hendricks was, as mentioned, one of three evangelical pastors selected for the delegation to showcase South Africa’s finest literary talent.

The others were Tiktokker and influencer Farren Cloete, author of a book titled, Geroep vir ’n tyd soos hierdie, which “guides us to see that no one can stop you once God has called you”; and John Lourens Maralack, author of a self-help book titled Mysterious Me, which “positions you to deal with the toxins of life through photosynthesis unlocking your ambidextrous potential and perspectives”. DM

Questions were sent to McKenzie's office on Tuesday afternoon, but Daily Maverick was informed by his spokesperson on Wednesday afternoon: "I would not be able to provide the responses by today, as per your timeline. This is due to the Minister currently being in transit from abroad and needing to personally review and approve all responses. The delay is not due to the complexity of the questions but rather the timing, as the deadlines for your print media do not align with our internal processes."

The questions:

1.⁠ ⁠How much was the "participation fee" paid to each delegate?

2.⁠ ⁠By our calculations, the amount spent on the 15 delegates - as per the figures supplied in answer to parliamentary questions - amounted to R1,865,449.05 but this does not include the trip costs for four officials or a brass band. Could you please confirm the total cost of the trip?

3.⁠ ⁠In answers given to parliamentary questions, the department said that it took the list of 35 people compiled for it and selected 15 people from it. However, those who drew up the list of 35 people deny that these 15 people appeared on the original list. Your comment?

4.⁠ ⁠Why did the department not choose to send established, well-respected names from the literary community which could have still been racially representative? Instead, the delegates were virtually unknown and largely self-published.

5.⁠ ⁠Does Minister McKenzie stand by the assertion he made on Facebook that he "previously met only two people on that list, and I met them once"? Who were these two people?

6.⁠ ⁠We have established that the president of the Cuban Book Institute requested specific South African poets to be included in the delegation, but this request was ignored. Why was this? Was that not disrespectful of the Cuban hosts?