It would have been unimaginable less than a year ago: a former gangster and reformed criminal wooing the culturally-inclined elite with his newfound love for the arts.
However, on a wet Thursday evening, Gayton McKenzie, the gap-toothed politician who served eight years in prison for armed robbery, had the well-heeled crowd — many of whom would think nothing of forking out more than R200,000 to hang something on their wall — eating out of his hand.
We were all gathered at the country’s oldest commercial gallery — the Everard Read in Rosebank’s Keyes Art Mile — to meet the man calling the shots when it comes to the government’s plans for popular culture.
As Gayton explained to those at the event, arranged by the gallery’s owner, Mark Read, he had been asked — ahead of the establishment of the GNU — what ministerial post interested him.
“I said I want home affairs, for obvious reasons, and they said, 'You need to choose another one.' I said, 'Probably police, because I know a thing about crime.' And then they said, 'But you must give us three.'”
He then asked friends on a WhatsApp group what they thought.
“And one of them says 'sport, arts and culture'. And another says 'sport, arts and culture' ... 'sport, arts and culture' ... and I thought, ‘Wow, there must be something sporty and arty about me.’ Only to realise my friends only said that because they want free tickets,” admitted Mzansi’s unexpected cultural tsar, to roars from the throng.
Earlier, when I arrived I spotted Gayton in conversation with Kgosi Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi of the Royal Bafokeng, under whose land the world’s richest deposits of platinum are found.
“We’ve met before — something to do with sushi,” I quipped to Gayton as we shook hands, referring to the Sandton club he once owned with his buddy Kenny Kunene, famed for its lavish parties where guests were served the Japanese cuisine off the bodies of scantily clad models.
Nearby was another royal, AmaMpondo prince Mlimandlela Ndamase (who assures me that 2027 is set to be the year we will see Formula One return to our shores), as well as Sars commissioner Edward Kieswetter.
“What difference can half a percent really make?” I asked about that contested but minuscule VAT increase that is holding up GNU support for the budget.
“You will have to ask the finance minister,” was Edward’s diplomatic reply.
Actually, it turns out I should have asked Gayton, because during his speech — in which he thanked Mark for giving him a crash course on art in South Africa — the marathon-loving politician also pointed out to the audience that the issue at hand is more serious than a tax increase no-one really wants.
“Now, you must be very stupid to want to give power away for 0.5% ... There are bigger risks than saying yes to 0.5% ... on the other side of the coin, it is Armageddon,” the night’s guest of honour, alluding to the EFF’s interest in supporting the budget vote in return for replacing the DA in government.
This message would not have gone unnoticed among this audience, which included a fair number of those who own 72% of the country’s privately-owned land.
So, who else came to hang out with the Patriotic Alliance leader?
Too many to mention all, but among them were several prominent folk, including financial services titan Warren Chapman and his wife, Angie; Letsema Holdings founder Isaac Shongwe; art patrons Mfundi and Karen Vundla; and the British high commissioner Antony Phillipson.
Artists were out in full force like Beezy Bailey, who noticed one of his works on display was mistitled — it is called Somewhere Over The Rainbow, not After Another Big Storm.
Also there was modernist painting pioneer Kagiso Patrick Mautloa, abstract artist Blessing Ngobeni, and the inimitable Lady Skollie, whose new exhibition has opened at the gallery.
On to the grub — and internationally trained chef Sandy Wood delivered another masterclass in canapés.
However, I’d wager Gayton’s buddy Kenny would have preferred the abundance of nigiri and California rolls that greeted guests the night before at the Hyde Park, Joburg restaurant KōL Izakhaya during the South African Style Awards announcement dinner.
While the actual gongs are handed out at a glitzy affair in May, this was an intimate “meet the winners” prelude arranged by Jill Grogor and her team, which started with us gathered at the automobile gallery upstairs, owned by Jill’s husband, Klaus. Here we were served cocktails featuring a distilled spirit known as the “national liquor of China”.
As I preliminary judge, I was chuffed to see that three A-listers You Need to Know for 2025 made the grade: Scandal! actress Makoma Mohale (named “The Next Best Thing”, along with TV presenter Zanele Potelwa); SABC bigwig Lala Tuku (picked as Most Stylish Business Personality); and Denetric Malope (named Most Stylish Model, with his brother Lebo).
There is not enough space to mention all the worthy recipients on the impressive list, though other standouts include Connie Ferguson, recognised as Style Icon, and I loved the novel take for Most Stylish Couple, who I found myself seated across from at the dinner.
Rather than going the romantically inclined route, this twosome — TV presenter Kat Sinivasan and actress Omuhle Gela — were selected because they’ve been besties through thick and thin for more than a decade. Talk about friendship goals!
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