South Africa tourism board to be dissolved

South Africa’s new tourism minister Patricia de Lille is expected to dissolve the country’s tourism board on 21 April. She will appoint a three-member team to take over the functions of the board as an interim solution. There had been an outrcry recently over the R1-billion sponsorship deal with English Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur – subsequently shelved – as well as much criticism over the board’s performance over recent years and accusations of sexual harassment by two board members of staff. The tourism board has been in disarray and has had four chairpersons since last September. De Lille (pictured), who took over the tourism portfolio after Lindiwe Sisulu was axed from the cabinet last month, said that not only had board members failed to respond to her letter placing them on terms, but eight of the 11 members, including chairperson Thozamile Botha, had resigned since 7 April. De Lille said she had “outlined a number of serious concerns”, including the Tottenham deal; the composition of the board and the skills, competence and qualifications of its members and serious allegations raised. De Lille said the remaining three members could not form a quorum and that the board was no longer functional. “In all the circumstances, I believe that good cause exists to dissolve the board and I shall do so officially through the Government Gazette on Friday 21 April 2023,” De Lille said in a statement.  “I will also officially gazette the appointment of a team of three persons to manage the affairs of the board until the appointment of a new board.”