Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has labelled the Springbok match tickets as too expensive for ordinary South Africans.
This follows public outcry with many complaining about being unable to go watch the Bokke live, due to exorbitant ticket prices.
McKenzie outlined some of the steps the department has undertaken to mitigate this challenge when he briefed the media following his Ministry’s Budget Vote in Parliament.
“We have also engaged South African Breweries (SAB) for initiatives like Boktown, so people can still enjoy the experience if they can’t afford to get to the stadium.
Recently, together with the South African Rugby Union (SARU), SuperSport, SABC, and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, we ensured last week’s game was available to watch on air for free.
These are all measures, but that doesn’t change the fact that the tickets are unaffordable.
We must find a solution,” said the Minister.
He assured Boks fans that the department will meet with SARU in the coming weeks for further deliberations on the matter.
Although tickets to the Bokke’s games vary by different stadiums, they are still reportedly steep for many fans especially under the current economic climate.
The cheapest ticket can range from R150 to R4 000.
The Minister’s plea for a review of the ticket pricing comes as the team is currently dominating its 2025 season opener.
They’ve already clinched back-to-back wins against Italy in a two-test series, and one against the Barbarians.
This coming weekend they are set to face Georgia as part of the Castle Lager Incoming Series at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
In this series they will play Australia in August followed by New Zealand in September.
These games will then be followed by a European tour in November where they’ll face Ireland and Wales.
