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Johannesburg - Sports and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula has denied spending government money to attend the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao boxing match in Las Vegas, which took place early on Sunday morning.
This followed from a question posed by Beeld editor Adriaan Basson on Twitter: "The minister of sport is in Las Vegas to watch a boxing match. Wonder who paid. Hope not the public purse."
He attached a tweet by Mbalula which stated: "Good morning Las Vegas, fight day, super day #FloydVSPacquiao".
The minister of sport is in Las Vegas to watch a boxing match. Wonder who paid. Hope not the public purse. https://t.co/s3UjjeQP5b
— Adriaan Basson (@AdriaanBasson) May 2, 2015Mbalula tweeted to Basson:
Adrian, please note that in the new democratic dispensation a Black man can afford to go to America without using your tax @AdriaanBasson
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015Had it been a white politician, in AMERICA today to watch a Sport event would the likes of @AdriaanBasson asked "who paid " NO,
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015I'm SA employee, I clock to work and wait for month end. It's ignorant and stupid to assume evetime I blink it's your money @AdriaanBasson
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015If You're a Black man in South Africa everything you do is assumed for be corrupt. That's wrong and crazy Yinde lendlela @AdriaanBasson
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015Cheap Journalism results in asking cheap ignorant questions that borders on stereotypical assumption all blacks are corrupt @AdriaanBasson
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015Freedom of movement means I can go anywhere in the world without explaining myself, amathole KaVerweod anje ngawe @AdriaanBasson
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015So many people asked "who paid". I responded to to you because you're a senior Editor that has an agenda. Sorry shame @AdriaanBasson
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015It's sad in the new South Africa there are still people like you still believe all blacks are corrupt and eat tax's money @AdriaanBasson
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015Honorable Tweeps, you're my employer. You elected me to work for you. I wait for month end like many. Not everything I do is with your tax.
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015The twitterverse weighed in on the matter, with many defending Basson's right to ask such a question, while others defended Mbalula.
According to Forbes, tickets for the fight cost anywhere between R158 000, when tickets went on sale on April 24, to R31 000 a day before the fight.
Mayweather won in a unanimous points decision.
