29 May 2006
The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk,
announced the official launch of the Tourism Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
Charter Council in Pretoria today, Monday, 29 May 2005 at a function attended
by stakeholders in tourism including both business and organised labour.
Speaking about the intent and purpose of the charter, the Minister said that
government will use the scorecard to align its procurement spending, to set and
monitor measurable targets, and to inform governmentâs approach to regulating
tourism in South Africa. âThis process will result in a tourism sector that is
truly sustainable, competitive and supported by all South Africans,â he
said.
Pointing to the key focus areas of the charter and the empowerment targets,
the Minister noted that these are captured in seven broad indicators including
ownership, strategic management, employment equity, skills development,
preferential procurement, enterprise development, and social development.
He said that âThe Charter includes measurement tools to help participants in
the industry identify their current BEE levels, gaps in their BEE profile, and
how to improve their rating on a balanced scorecardâ. Minister van Schalkwyk
emphasised that the Charter would apply to every single enterprise in the
tourism value-chain, from the largest corporate to the smallest entrepreneur
and that although being rated would not be compulsory, there are major
incentives to implementing the targets in every tourism business. âThe rating
will be used by all spheres of Government in determining spending partners and
for targeting investment and development funding through institutions like the
IDC and the Development Bank,â he said.
Expressing the Ministerâs sentiments, the chairperson of the Tourism BEE
Charter Council, Mr. Tami Sokutu said that the Charterâs major role was to
benefit black entrepreneurs through addressing business barriers embedded in
preferential procurement and enterprise development. âWe would like to see the
Charter benefiting black workers, professional graduates and school leavers
through addressing skills barriers embedded in skills development and
employment equity,â he said. âMost importantly, we would like to see the
Charter benefiting black unemployed and the rural poor through corporate social
investment and industry factors addressing poverty barriers,â he added.
Members of the Charter council are Mr Tami Sokutu, the current Executive
Director of African Bank; Ms. Anitha Soni, representing Tourism Services;
Ms.Arlene Peters, from FEDHASA; Ms Sizakele Marutlulle, COO of SA Tourism; Mr
Thabiso Tlelai of the Tourism Business Council; Mr Eddie Khoza,on behalf of
business tourism; Helder Pereira; Vusi Zwane, from SATSA; Jeffrey Ndumo, from
the Department of Trade and Industry (dti);Dr Patrick Matlou from the
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT); Dennis George, from the
Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA); Frank Kilbourn; a representative
from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU); as well as Patience
Mokhadi, the Head of Department in the Northern Cape representing the
provincial government.
Enquiries
Riaan Aucamp
Cell: 083 778 9923
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
29 May 2006
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (www.deat.gov.za)
