On the 19th of April 2023, I decided to dissolve the South African Tourism Board during the Tottenham Hotspurs debacle, because of the irregular expenditure saving the country R1 billion. An SIU investigation the conduct of the board and recommended that the Tottenham board members be declared delinquent directors.
I have now written to the president, to request a proclamation to pursue the recovery of funds and prosecutions flowing from the findings of the SIU. The Tottenham SIU report further recommends consequence management against, two people still in the employ of South African Tourism. They have subsequently been suspended.
I then appointed, 3 people in the interim to handle the affairs of South African Tourism until a full time board is appointed. In February 2024 I appointed a new board being chaired by Ms Makhosazana Khanyile and deputy chair Adv. Lizelle Dominique Jordaan.
I subsequently removed the chair and the deputy following excessive meetings they held. Within 6 months, R900 000 of the R1.44 million budgeted for board meetings was used up. They were removed from their positions, I did not fire them, nor did I dissolve the board. The pair resigned and resolved to challenge my decision in court, therefore the matter is sub judice. I’ve attached my media statement issued 10 September 2024.
I had asked that the frequency of these meetings be investigated including alleged mismanagement by the board. This follows the resignation of the CFO who accused the board members of interference and overreach.
The CFO resigned in August 2024, and even though the auditor general has flagged the appointment of the CFO as critical, to date South African Tourism still doesn’t have a permanent CFO. This vacancy was flagged in my meeting with the auditor general in April 2025. I then wrote to the board on the 13 of June, I reminded the board of the AG’s findings and the guidance to ensure the critical appointments at South African Tourism, including the CFO and head of internal audit. This was the 13 of June 2025.
I reminded the board again in a meeting of the 4th of July 2025, and again in a letter on the 13th of July 2025. To date, South African Tourism still doesn’t have a permanent CFO or head of internal audit. While I am being accused of political interference, the AG’s report reminds us that, I as the executive authority must monitor the implementation of the planned actions, including the recovery of the financial loss and the institution of consequence management.
Now, in that meeting of the 4 July 2025, and in a letter dated 13 July 2025 I cautioned the board against convening meetings that are unprocedural and irregular. These failures, I expressed, undermine the integrity of the board and could render outcomes from such meetings procedurally invalid and unlawful.
In the 13 of July 2025 letter: SIU report, CEO letter dated 10 June 2025 in which she raised several issues in the marketing division, poor board governance and lack of outcomes. I was also raised the issue that the board members are prohibited from contacting executives of South African Tourism directly, as per their own rules.
In their response in a letter of 22 July 2025, the governance failures are acknowledged and there was a commitment that interventions have been put in place and these “enhancements have and will ensure that all meetings are properly constituted, chaired, and documented ….”
On the 1 August 2025, hours after the quarterly board meeting on 31 July 2025, chaired by Professor Gregory Davids, the board unlawfully implemented a round robin resolution in the absence of a board chairperson. Instead of writing to me to appoint an acting chair to deal with the so called “urgent matters”, the board gave Mr Lawson Naidoo the powers of a board chairperson, with the title “board representative”.
The legal advice to me confirmed that the actions of the board were unlawful and ultra vires. In no manner whatsoever, do the provisions of the Tourism Act 3 of 2014 provide for a single member of the South African Tourism Board to communicate and implement the decisions taken by the South African Tourism Board.
The board is a creature of statute and is only limited to the exercise the powers conferred to it by the Tourism Act of 2014. The board acted unlawfully and exceeded its powers when it took the resolution dated 01 August 2025 in that the very meeting where the impugned resolution was taken did not follow the lawful procedure set out in section 18(2) of the act. This is because it is only the chairperson of the board who is empowered by section 18(2) of the act to call a special board meeting.
While the board denies that Mr Naidoo is the board chairperson, it’s evident from actions since 1 August 2025 that the powers of the so called board representative includes powers exclusive to the board chairperson.
Amongst other contraventions Mr Naidoo directly communicated to members of the executive, he extended the contract of the acting chief audit executives. Despite being formally advised that the contract with CTH had lapsed, Mr Naidoo nevertheless continued to engage the services of the law firm and even went so far as to approve an invoice exceeding R120 000.
This amounts to authorising payments for services outside the ambit of a valid contract, a clear contravention of procurement and financial governance prescripts. In doing so, he placed the entire board at risk, as he was purportedly acting in their behalf.
Every law in this country matters. Every cent matters. Part of protecting the public purse is to ensure that due process and governance is non-negotiable. And as I have demonstrated, there has been continues governance failures by the dissolved board.
I want to go back to the meeting of the 4 of July 2025, again in that meeting I lamented the board’s failure to act on the complaints by the company secretary against the suspended CEO. I told the board that they failed the company secretary by not processing her grievances. Is that the actions of a minister who wants to protect the CEO?
It is also not true that I blocked the board from acting on the CEO in relation to the Ngubane report. I had asked for more information, before giving my concurrence. I went as far as asking Minister of Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi to give guidance on the matter. I received feedback from his office on the 27 of July 2025.
On the 13 August the board, represented by Mr Naidoo, suspended the CEO for what the board deemed, the retaliatory suspensions of the company secretary and the chief marketing officer. I don’t want to venture into the merits of the claims, however, it’s important to note that in its letter to me on 22 July 2025, the board informed me that the CEO has been directed to ensure accountability “particularly the chief marketing officer” over the WWP contract extension, the DStv Delicious Festival, and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
On the disciplinary action against the CMO, in a letter dated 21 July 2025, the audit and risk committee chair, wrote to the CEO that she is expected to “take relevant consequence management steps in line with the delegation of authority of SAT”.
As it stands, I like to assure the members of the portfolio committee, there is no crisis. I have appointed a group of 6 South Africans, to handle the affairs of the South African Tourism, up until I have appointed a permanent board. The current group of 6, will process all matters related to the CEO.
Just last week, I met with the industry who continued to show their support for the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan. An execution lab has now been established to ensure the monitoring and implementation of the 5 pillars in the Tourism Growth Partnership Plan.
Furthermore, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa wrote to me on 21 August 2025 nominating a team of 6 individuals to “keep the momentum in the tourism sector”.
It's not the first time that my integrity has been questioned. I have been here before. 25 years ago, I stood before this house and warned of corruption in the arms deal. I came under attack. In 2023, I came to this house and again raised the alarm over the R1 billion Tottenham Hotspurs deal by South African Tourism. The SIU report vindicated me. This time around, it will be no different.
Dear South Africans, I stand here before you fully committed to my oath to obey, respect and uphold the Constitution and all other law of the republic. Happy Tourism Month. And remember to enjoy your country. It is yours.
Enquiries:
Mr Aldrin Sampear
Spokesperson for the Minister of Tourism
Cell: 067 138 3487
E-mail: asampear@tourism.gov.za
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