South African Tourism has appointed Ms Sithembile Ndaba as its new chief marketing officer (CMO), effective 1 April 2026, and Ismail Dockrat as chief operating officer (COO), effective 1 May 2026.
These appointments complete the organisation’s full executive leadership team, following the recent appointments of the chief financial officer (CFO) and chief audit executive (CAE) in January 2026, as well as the chief convention bureau officer (CCBO) in December 2025.
Ndaba is a marketing and communications executive with more than 25 years of experience spanning brand strategy, global positioning, integrated marketing, and reputation management. She has worked across both the public and private sectors, including multinational FMCG organisations such as Pioneer Foods, Tiger Brands, and Unilever.
Ndaba joins South African Tourism from Brand South Africa, where she served as general manager: marketing and held leadership roles including acting CEO and acting chief marketing officer. During her tenure, she represented the organisation on international platforms such as the World Economic Forum and BRICS. She said: “Every new role is an opportunity to reimagine what’s possible. I step into this role with gratitude, clarity of purpose, and a deep commitment to building with others, because the best journeys are never walked alone.”
Ismail Dockrat is an experienced executive with over 25 years of leadership in sectors including aviation, aerospace manufacturing, logistics and distribution, trade, investment and tourism promotion. He has held senior roles at leading South African institutions, including CSIR, ARMSCOR, Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA), WESGRO, DENEL, and Glodina.
An engineer by training, he has led organisational turnarounds, strengthened governance, and driven digital transformation initiatives. He said: “Serving my beautiful country fills me with pride, and I believe South Africa shines as one of the world’s top destinations, offering unparalleled adventures and cultural richness. I look forward to driving operational excellence and innovation, working closely with our teams and partners, to showcase our nation’s unmatched beauty and spirit, inspiring travellers from every corner of the globe.”
Commenting on the appointments, acting CEO, Dr Shamilla Chettiar said: “With the appointments of Sithembile and Ismail, South African Tourism now has a full executive leadership team. This formidable executive team is well-positioned to drive organisational excellence, transformation within South African Tourism, and global elevation of South Africa’s tourism brand.”
