National
Mbalula denies spending state money to see Mayweather fight─── 05:32 Mon, 04 May 2015
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".
— Adriaan Basson (@AdriaanBasson) May 2, 2015
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, 2015
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) May 2, 2015
The 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.