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Answers Sought From Minister de Lille Amid Board Instability and Resignations at SA Tourism Board

Dear Editor

Amid resignations of key board members at SA Tourism (SAT), the Democratic Alliance will write to the Tourism Committee Chairperson to request Minister Patricia de Lille’s appearance before the Committee for explanations on these events.

The resignations of the former Board Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson follow allegations of exorbitant expenditure. According to Minister De Lille, while the Board was allocated R1.44 million to hold meetings for the financial year, more than R900 000 has been spent, while only being halfway through the financial year. Minister De Lille’s account was provided through a media release, without informing the Committee.

Amid allegations raised against them, the two officials resigned, however the full details of the allegations against them remain unclear.

We therefore call on Minister De Lille and the Department’s appearance before Committee for full accounts on these events.

Previously, when matters related to SA Tourism were dealt with outside of Parliamentary oversight, we witnessed the Tottenham Hotspur’s Sponsorship Scandal, where key actions were taken by the Board and then Minister, without Parliamentary oversight.

The ongoing instability on SAT is especially troubling, considering that the new Board was introduced last year, after the Hotspur’s scandal, and also given that SAT accounts for 53.3% (R4.1 billion) of the Department’s budget, making it central to the recovery and growth of the tourism sector.

While we seek full details on recent events at SA Tourism, we urge the Board and the Minister to work collaboratively in restoring stability within the entity, as SAT plays a vital role in driving growth and investment in the tourism sector. While our country still recovers from the economic impact of Covid-19, the tourism sector has the potential to stimulate much-needed investment and job creation. However, this requires that SAT operates with effective leadership, proper financial management, and full accountability.

Regards

Haseena Ismail MP
DA Spokesperson for Tourism

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