South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has acknowledged multiple visits to the Johannesburg head office of Blu Label Unlimited Group, the company run by brothers Mark and Brett Levy, prompting questions about the optics of a recent sale of Ticketpro while the minister oversees bodies that contract the ticketing firm.
Visits, ties and timing
According to reporting, McKenzie said the visits reflected a long-standing friendship with the Levy brothers and denied any part in the Ticketpro transaction or its ticketing contracts. His office noted that he first met the Levys around 2007 when Blu Label invited him to deliver a motivational talk, and that ministers are permitted to maintain private friendships.
"Ministers are allowed to have friends," the minister's spokesperson said, according to reporting.
People familiar with the meetings told reporters the visits took place in 2025 and 2026, including while the sale of Ticketpro was being finalised. The minister's former chief of staff, Bakang Lethoko — now serving as Ticketpro's chief executive — accompanied him on at least one visit, the spokesperson said, adding this was unsurprising given her role at Ticketpro.
Sale described as arm's-length
Blu Label said it sold Ticketpro in May to what it described as a women-owned broad-based black economic empowerment consortium, characterising the deal as an "arm's-length disposal" and declining to name the buyer or disclose the price due to confidentiality terms.
"The company has answered all reasonable commercial questions and has nothing further to add," Blu Label said in response to questions about whether the visits could create an impression the sale was not at arm's length.
The group's annual financial statements show a net cash outflow of R35 million linked to the disposal.
Why the sale matters to sport
Ticketpro holds exclusive ticketing rights for Cricket South Africa and the South African Football Association, both of which fall under the minister's portfolio. The company already sells tickets for the national cricket team's home series and appears set to handle ticketing for the 2027 Men's Cricket World Cup hosted by South Africa.
- Nature of relationship: Longstanding personal ties between McKenzie and the Levy brothers date back to 2007.
- Timing concerns: Visits reportedly occurred in 2025–26 while the Ticketpro sale was being finalised.
- Commercial disclosure: Blu Label declined to identify the buyer or the sale price; financials show a R35 million cash outflow related to the disposal.
Consequences and next steps
The facts published to date centre on personal contacts and corporate confidentiality. The combination of a ministerial portfolio overseeing sporting bodies that contract Ticketpro and personal visits to the seller have raised questions about the appearance of impartiality, even as officials deny involvement in the transaction.
Any further scrutiny will likely focus on whether procurement or contracting processes for national sporting bodies were influenced, and whether the new ownership structure affects Ticketpro's exclusive arrangements. Blu Label's refusal to name the buyer or disclose the price limits public scrutiny of the deal's commercial terms, while the presence of a former ministerial staffer as Ticketpro's chief executive adds another layer for investigators or oversight bodies to consider.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| First meeting between McKenzie and the Levys | 2007 (motivational talk) |
| Visits to Blu Label offices reported | 2025–2026 |
| Ticketpro disposal | May (year reported); buyer described as women-owned B-BBEE consortium |
| Financial impact shown | R35 million net cash outflow linked to disposal |
The situation is a reminder that in sport, as in politics, perception can be as powerful as paperwork. Stakeholders from cricket and football administrators to oversight bodies will be watching how the narrative unfolds and whether any formal enquiries follow.
