Budget Vote 10 Speech: Department of Tourism, North West Province 2017 by MEC Desbo Mohono
Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature;
Tonakgolo ya Profense ya Bokone Bophirima, Motlotlegi Rre
S O R Mahumapelo;
Esteemed Members of the Executive Council;
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature;
Executive Mayors, Mayors, Speakers and Councillors present;
Magosi a rona a a tlotlegang a eteletswepele ke Motlotlegi
Kgosi Zibi;
Director General and DDGs in the Office of the Premier;
Head of Department and the Staff of the Department of Tourism;
Deputy Chairperson; Members, CEO and staff of the North
West Tourism Board;
Representatives of all Tourism establishments across the province;
Leaders of Unions, Community and faith-based
Organisations;
Students from our Mahikeng and Taung Hotel Schools;
All Media Houses represented here today;
Comrades and Friends,
Baagi ba Profenseya Bokone Bophirima, amogelang madume a a mofuthu gotswa molefapheng la Bojanala.
Honourable Speaker and Members of the House, the National Development Plan enjoins us to build an active citizenry that participates in democratic governance structures and takes responsibility for their own development. The North West Province must take it rightful place in leading its citizens into making sure that this becomes a reality.
Honourable Members, the African National Congress has declared 2017 the year of Oliver Reginald Tambo, a brilliant, compassionate, disciplined and principled leader of the African National Congress who fought for the liberation of South Africa and its people unapologetically. 2017 is the year of unity in all aspects. OR Tambo said “It is our responsibility to break down barriers of division and create a country where there will be neither whites nor blacks, just South Africans, free and united in diversity” .As South Africans and as people of Bokone Bophirima,we must be united in working together to create a better life for our people.
This will require all of us to dig deep into our reserves and serve our people for the benefit of all. We call on all the people of Bokone Bophirima to contribute according to their ability. Ability is not always about money and handouts: we call on all South Africans to give of their passion, talent, resources, plans, thoughts in how we can build a society that we all can be proud of. Kindness is not for the weak – the strong are kind irrespective of what they have gone through and suffered for. That is the kind of man that OR Tambo was and this call will never grow old or outdated instead it is more relevant today than ever before.
The Tourism sector, esteemed South Africans, is about building together. It requires of government and the private sector to collaborate and plan together. It requires a meeting of the minds if this sector is to continue putting Bokone Bophirima on the global map. Thus the private sector is a crucial stakeholder in our portfolio and we continue our call for all role players to hold hands and tirelessly transform the sector and reap the benefits of a sustained and successful tourism portfolio. The Fifth Administration has put ACT at the top of its economic transformation agenda and we remain confident that when all sectors of the population can enjoy equal benefits out of the sector, we can guarantee that we will all see the benefits that this resilient sector can offer. It is our unwavering belief that everyone has a role to play -basically all the people of the province irrespective of where they are based and their social standing in life. We all have it in us to build a better Bokone Bophirima using Tourism as a transformation and economic vehicle.
Honourable Members the fiscal year 2017/18 promises to be the year that will bring new opportunities in transforming our economy, but these will surely come with challenges. Radical Socio Economic transformation is not a buzz word. It is not a fashionable statement to be made to appease the people. We are entrusted with the duty as politicians to ensure that this becomes a reality. We need for sectors to transform meaningfully. This speaks to the management and ownership of the tourism portfolio in the province and also speaks to every one of us standing up for all sectors and making the radical changes that in the end will see all people benefiting out of the wealth of this country. The fruits of our freedom were not designed to be enjoyed by only a few. The majority of our people, especially the youth are awaiting their turn to play a meaningful role in our economy and we have to create conducive environments for these young minds to get to work and get South Africa working. The ideal of all people of South Africa living together in harmony can be realised if we all put our hearts and minds to it.
Honourable speaker, the tourism Industry worldwide is recognised for the immense role that it can play in addressing inequality, poverty and unemployment. The Filipino President Benigno Aquino III had this to say about Tourism:
“Tourism is a crucial industry that could employ millions of Filipinos, skilled and unskilled alike, across those 7,107 islands of the Philippines. From the current projection of 3.3 million tourist arrivals in 2010, our aim is to eventually attract 6 million tourists. In the process, we expect to create 3 million jobs in the next six years”.
Our Premier has given us an ambitious target of ensuring that North West is counted amongst the best.In quarter 3 of 2015, the province has grown from 5.1% of total share of international tourists to 9.4% in quarter 3 of 2016. In the same period, we have increased the share of Asia and Australasia markets from 4.7% to 5.8%.
Botswana arrivals have increased from 57.1% to 67.5% to date (SA Tourism Stats – 2016). On the domestic front, our festive campaigns have seen an increase in numbers, attracting 243 554 people in 18 days with an estimated revenue of R 66 466 200. This only covers 6 areas: Bloemhof, Hartebeespoortdam, Moretele, Pilanesburg, Sun City and Taung.
Bringing it closer to home: VTSD performance to date:
|
Tourism Performance |
|||||
|
Area |
Number of rooms |
Number of beds |
Available bed nights |
Occupancy rate (40%) |
Estimated revenue (R) |
|
Vilages |
35 |
45 |
49 275 |
19 710 |
7 884 000 |
|
Townships |
53 |
159 |
58 035 |
23 234 |
13 928 400 |
|
Smal Dorpies |
275 |
1310 |
478 150 |
294 774 |
147 387 000 |
Honourable Members, the department will in due course share with the Porfolio Committee on the industry performance in the VTSD as well as share our marketing impact in establishments.
This clearly shows we have the potential to attract over 5 million tourists per year. It is not going to be easy but it can be done. We have the products that can see us achieve this; we have the people and the setting; we have the back up of government and we have the will to make this come true.
According to Stats SA's Tourism & Migration Report (PO351) released on 20 February 2017, 542 058 Africans travelled into South Africa and they came from the SADC countries. These are made up of : West Africa, 8 269 (1,5%); East and Central Africa, 6 305 (1,1%); and North Africa 1 561 (0,3%). The ten leading SADC countries in terms of the number of tourists visiting South Africa in November 2016 were: Zimbabwe, 145 913 (26,9%); Lesotho, 122 185
(22,5%); Mozambique, 97 108 (17,9%); Swaziland, 67 379 (12,4%);
Botswana, 52 739 (9,7%); Namibia, 15 730 (2,9%); Zambia, 14 478 (2,7%);
Malawi, 13 937 (2,6%); Angola, 3 880 (0,7%) and Tanzania, 3 094 (0,6%).
Furthermore, the ten leading countries in terms of the number of tourists visiting South Africa in November 2016 from 'other' African countries were: Nigeria, 5 165 (32,0%); Kenya, 3 078 (19,1%); Ghana, 1 769 (11,0%); Uganda, 1 092 (6,8%); Egypt, 784 (4,9%); Ethiopia, 728 (4,5%); Gabon, 466 (2,9%);
Cameroon, 400 (2,5%); Senegal, 262 (1,6%) and Congo, 234 (1,5%). Tourists from these ten countries constituted 86,6% of all tourists from 'other' African countries.
Honourable Speaker and Premier, I am mentioning these numbers to show the huge potential that Africans have to travel in their own continent. We have not yet scraped the surface and the picture tells a very good story. For full speech....(PDF)
