Minister van Schalkwyk said today that Cabinet has approved the appointment of Mr Kingsley Makhubela to the post of the Director-General of the new national Department of Tourism, which was created last year after the general election as a stand-alone department.
“I am very pleased with the appointment and confident that Mr Makhubela will help steer our department towards its ambitious goals in terms of tourism growth.
"Mr Makhubela has served in numerous high level international diplomatic positions and has extensive experience in the public service spanning more than 16 years.
“I look forward to the leading role he will play to help our department achieve its vision to grow and develop the tourism industry in order to generate economic benefits for all South Africans and build cohesive and sustainable communities across the country,” Minister van Schalkwyk said.
Mr Makhubela is currently a Deputy Director-General and the Chief of State Protocol in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. He joined the then Department of Foreign Affairs in 1994. He served as the Chief of State Visits from 1994 to 1996 and as South Africa’s ambassador to Portugal from 1996 to 2001.
From 2001 to March 2005 he served as South African High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya, after which he was appointed as Chief Director for East Africa and Indian Ocean Islands in the then Department of Foreign Affairs. Mr Makhubela served in this position until December 2007, when he was appointed to his current position.
Mr Makhubela was awarded with the Grade of the Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique by the President of Portugal and served amongst others as the leader of the South African mediation team in Somalia and Presidential Special Envoy to Somalia.
Mr Makhubela’s appointment will be for a term of five years and will commence as soon as possible.
Enquiries:
Ronel Bester
Tel: 021 465 7240
Cell: 083 242 7763
E-mail: rbester@tourism.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Tourism
22 April 2010
Source: Department of Tourism (http://www.tourism.gov.za/)
