MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / News / Musical Chairs at SA Tourism Must Stop

Musical Chairs at SA Tourism Must Stop

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance (DA) acknowledges the gazette issued on 27 September by Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, announcing a new South African Tourism (SAT) Board. This marks the second board in just 18 months, following the fallout from the Tottenham Hotspur scandal.

SAT has a long history of not fulfilling its duties effectively and failing to reach the optimum level that the private sector would like to see. The DA hopes that this time, with new leadership, they can turn this around. The board has been in disarray for too long; it is time to stabilise it and focus on delivering results.

According to calculations from the Western Cape Government last year, the arrival of every 100 international tourists supports 2 jobs. Given that SA Tourism accounts for the majority of the Department’s budget, its success is crucial for the growth of our tourism economy.

As our country urgently seeks foreign direct investment to drive economic growth and job creation, it is imperative that SA Tourism performs exceptionally well, especially with summer and the peak tourism season on the horison. The organisation requires skilled and capable leadership to develop actionable strategic plans that will ensure increased tourist arrivals, bolster economic growth, and create jobs.

With Parliament’s Third Term beginning next week, we will leverage SA Tourism’s appearances to hold them accountable and ensure they are fully prepared for the upcoming peak tourism season. A successful season will provide a much-needed boost to our economy and set the stage for strong job growth in the first quarter of next year. This presents a significant opportunity for a robust economic start to 2025.

Regards

Haseena Ismail MP
DA Spokesperson on Tourism

Category: Tag:

If you feel strongly about this article then feel free to send MyZA a ‘Letter to the Editor’ using the submission form below:

Letter to the Editor

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
If this is in response to an article please include that article title here or as the lead in for the first paragraph of your Letter below.

Separate tags with commas

Localise your letter by naming the city your words are about. Add relevant words describing your subject. Single comma separated words of no more than 5
Your Name(Required)
Your Name will be linked to the website below.
Your personal, business or social media web site
Choose NO to not set up a user account on MyZA. User Accounts will allow you to submit letters under your own Author Name

3 Latest Letters to the Editor:

  • Older Persons Grants Land Today — No Need to Queue at Dawn

    Dear Editor, Older Persons grants are paid today, 30 October, under SASSA’s revised November payment schedule — with disability grants on Monday 2 November, children’s grants on Tuesday 3 November, and grants under review on Thursday 5 November. Two things every beneficiary should know. First, grant money does not expire on payment day. It stays…

  • November Grants Pay Early – No Need to Queue at Dawn

    Dear Editor, I run SAGrant (sagrant.co.za), a free resource helping South Africans navigate SASSA grants. November grants pay earlier than usual. Older Persons grants are paid on Friday 30 October, Disability grants on 2 November, and Child Support and other grants on 3 November. Grants still under review are paid on 5 November. The money…

  • NSFAS 2027 applications close on 31 October — SASSA households, apply now

    Dear Editor, I run SAGrant (sagrant.co.za), a free resource helping South Africans navigate SASSA grants. NSFAS applications for the 2027 academic year close on Friday 31 October 2026, and no extension is expected. If your household receives a SASSA grant, your child already passes the NSFAS financial eligibility test — but they still have to…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Fun South African Fact: South Africa is home to the world’s longest wine route: Route 62. It spans an impressive 850 kilometres and the excellent wineries along the way are a must-visit for lovers of fine wine! You can even enjoy the winelands on a day trip from Cape Town. Travel 40-min to an hour outside of the city centre to enjoy decadent wine tastings and even wander through some of the beautiful wine farms and estates! Suburbs like Durbanville and Constantia are even closer to the city centre and are also home to many exceptional wineries.