sa tourism board resignations

Three SA Tourism board members resign with immediate effect

South African Tourism board members, Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen and Rosemary Anderson have resigned from the board with immediate effect.

“Resulting from a difference of opinion, Nadasen and Duminy’s resignation (effective February 2) and Anderson’s resignation (effective February 3), were tendered to tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu and South African Tourism board chair Dr Aubrey Mhlongo,” the trio said in a statement issued on their behalf.

“The former board members have a fiduciary responsibility to hold confidential information obtained during their board service and will not be available for any further say on the matter.”

SA Tourism came under fire this week after the Daily Maverick reported on a proposed R910m deal to sponsor English Premier League (EPL) team Tottenham Hotspur.

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We've got news for you., sa tourism board to be dissolved in wake of tottenham hotspur saga, strained relations with management.

With the resignations of eight of the 11 South African Tourism board members, including the chairperson, the board is no longer functional as the remaining three members cannot form a quorum.

This is according to recently appointed tourism minister Patricia de Lille, who says she will dissolve the board through an official notice in the Government Gazette on Friday.

The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that De Lille was set to dissolve the board, amid concerns about the fallout over the R1bn Tottenham Hotspur deal, strained relations between the board and management, allegations of serious irregularities, sexual harassment, and a blown budget.

In her statement on Wednesday, De Lille said she had, on April 6, written to the then chairperson of the board, Dr Thozamile Botha, asking for representation on why she should not dissolve the board.

“My letter outlined a number of serious concerns, such as the conduct of the board in respect of the Tottenham Hotspur sponsorship matter; the composition of the board and whether the members have the necessary knowledge, experience or qualifications as required by section 13 of the Tourism Act; and certain serious allegations raised by the acting CEO of SA Tourism regarding the lack of a proper functioning board.”

She asked him to respond by April 18.

“I have not received representations on why the board should not be dissolved.”

Instead, between April 7 and 13, eight of the board members resigned.

De Lille said she will gazette the appointment of a team of three to manage the affairs of the board until the appointment of its new members.

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Acting CEO of SA Tourism resigns following Spurs sponsorship scandal

Acting ceo themba khumalo stepped down after 17 months at the helm. he had also served the agency for 4 years as cmo..

SA Tourism’s acting chief executive officer Themba Khumalo during a press briefing on 2 February 2023. Photo: Michel Bega/The Citizen

The Acting CEO of SA Tourism stepped down from the post amidst the uproar and eventual cancellation of the contentious R1 billion Tottenham Hotspur sponsorship deal.

Themba Khumalo had served the agency as chief marketing officer for four years and as acting CEO for 17 months.

SA Tourism CEO resigns

According to SA Tourism spokesperson Zara Nicolson, tourism minister Patricia de Lille was informed of Khumalo’s resignation by the agency’s Board.

De Lille noted the resignation and wished Khumalo well in his future endeavours.

Mass resignations

In February, three SA Tourism board members – Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen and Rosemary Anderson – resigned with immediate effect .

Tourism numbers paint a different picture than official statements

The board’s chairperson Dr Aubry Mhlongo didn’t provide any details for their sudden departure.

As of April, 11 board members including the chairperson at the time, Dr Thozamile Botha, had resigned.

The resignations followed after SA Tourism received criticism for the contentious Tottenham Hotspur deal , with the agency accused of being tone-deaf and out of touch with reality.

Khumalo initially countered by saying the R1 billion deal would see a good return on investment of nearly R88 billion (although he didn’t clarify how), and bring 21 million travellers to our shores by 2030.

Deal ‘unlawful’

De Lille declared the deal as ‘unlawful’ in March, citing South Africa’s unstable economy.

“We have to be much more careful and give consideration to everything that we do as government,” she said.

“Money must be spent wisely and prudently at all times as we are entrusted with public funds.”

READ: Here’s why 3 key SA Tourism board members resigned

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Three Members Quit SA Tourism Board ‘With Immediate Effect’

Johannesburg – Three members of the SA Tourism Board – Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen, and Rosemary Anderson – have resigned with immediate effect.

Chairperson of the SA Tourism Board, Dr. Aubrey Mhlongo on Saturday said the trio “resigned from the South African Tourism Board effective immediately”.

Dr. Mhlongo added: “As the board, we extend our sincere gratitude to Mr. Duminy, Mr. Nadasen, and Ms. Anderson for their invaluable contribution to the South African Tourism Board during their tenure and we wish them well in their future endeavours. 

“We would like to thank these members for their contribution and oversight of the entity during their time while serving on the board,” said Mhlongo.”

Mhlongo especially recognised Duminy and Nadasen, as they were serving their third term on the South African Tourism Board.

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has accepted the resignations of the three board members and thanked them for their service. 

She further indicated that the process of appointing suitable replacements was underway. 

The resignations come amid a storm over a proposed R1 billion sponsorship deal with English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

• SA Tourism has proposed a three-year sponsorship deal worth £42.5 million (about R900m) with English Premier League football club, Tottenham Hotspur.
• In exchange for the investment, SA Tourism will receive kit branding, interview backdrop branding, match-day advertising, partnership announcements, training camps in SA, and free access to tickets and stadium hospitality.

The proposed deal has caused an uproar of disapproval from political parties.

Many suggest the money could be better used for other pressing problems the country is facing such as rising poverty and crime as well as serious electricity shortages.

The Presidency, which is yet to be officially briefed on the proposal, has also weighed in on the matter saying: “Even though we have not been briefed, we do not think that spending such an amount, in this manner, will be justifiable”. 

To make matters worse reports have emerged of irregular dealings regarding an agency involved with the proposal.

Fresh details have emerged in the SA Tourism & Tottenham Hotspur deal. Daily Maverick reports that SA Tourism interim CFO Johan van der Walt admitted to having ties with an agency named in the original proposal documents. Prof Michael Goldman weighs in. https://t.co/0GUtfCGjAO pic.twitter.com/tNKkMMP4uY — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) February 3, 2023

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Three SA Tourism board members resign following Tottenham Hotspur saga

South African Tourism’s interim CFO Johan Van Der Walt has recently been linked to a sponsorship proposal with the English Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur, that’s worth almost R1 billion.

The news made headlines this week after first appearing on Daily Maverick .

The report revealed that in exchange for the handsome sum would be a 36-month contract. South African Tourism would receive branding on players’ kits and free access to stadium hospitality, among other advertising opportunities and perks.

In a media briefing, SA Tourism CEO Themba Khumalo said that there was “no involvement of an agent or middleman in this proposed partnership,” as reported by News24 .

However, around R31 million, according to Khumalo’s PowerPoint, would be paid to Tottenham Hotspur by WWP Group – a company to which Van Der Walt admitted having links.

Now, Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen and Rosemary Anderson – board members from South African Tourism – have resigned with immediate effect, according to eNCA .

The three resignations were reportedly received by tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

Read more of the initial report here .

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Three SA Tourism Board Members Resign Amid Controversial R1bn Hotspur Deal

• February 4, 2023 February 4, 2023
• South Africa , NEWS

Three SA Tourism board members have resigned with immediate effect, amid an outcry over money earmarked to sponsor English football team – Tottenham Hotspur.

Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen, and Rosemary Anderson informed the Minister of Tourism, Lindiwe Sisulu of their resignations, confirmed SA Tourism.

The resignations follow a difference of opinion, according to a joint statement released by the trio on Friday.

Duminy and Nadasen were serving their third term on the board.

Board chairperson Dr Aubrey Mhlongo thanked the now-former board members for their “invaluable contribution and oversight of the entity during their tenure.”

Their resignations come amid a week of questions and calls for clarity about SA Tourism’s over R900 million deal with the football club.

SA Tourism acting CEO Themba Khumalo defended the much talked about deal on Thursday, following a Daily Maverick report on the story.

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Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Tourism. Image: @leonard_bre | Twitter.

Sisulu ‘irregularly appoints’ three new SA Tourism Board members

Following backlash over the almost R1bn SA Tourism proposal for Tottenham Hotspur FC three board members resigned.

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has irregularly appointed three members to the SA Tourism Board to replace those who resigned over the Tottenham Hotspur FC deal.

This was revealed by the Democratic Alliance’s Shadow Minister of Tourism, Manny de Freitas.

LATEST ON SA TOURISM BOARD

The party said in the Tourism Portfolio Committee on Tuesday, 21 February, it was revealed that the three South African Tourism Board members that replaced those who recently resigned have been irregularly appointed by the Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu.

The party’s Shadow Minister said Sisulu admitted that the three resignations were submitted at the beginning of February on a Wednesday and she replaced the resigned Board members four days later on a Saturday.

ALSO READ: SA Tourism guns for whistleblower who leaked R1bn Spurs deal

De Freitas said the Tourism Act is clear in clause 13 (3) which prescribes that the Minister must, before appointing members, publish a minimum 30 days notice in the Government Gazette and in two national newspapers inviting nominations, and the same must be done after Board members have been appointed.

This means that the prescripts and processes stipulated in the Act were not followed by the Minister. This potentially means that the three newly appointed members may well have been illegally appointed and that any decisions and resolutions made by the Board since the resignations may all be nullified.

“Three SA Tourism Board members resigned after the proposed Tottenham Hotspur sponsorship deal was made public. The three members that resigned were Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen and Rosemary Anderson.

ALSO READ: ‘It’s nothing new’: SA Tourism CEO on R1bn sponsorship deal

The Minister claims that she needed to urgently replace the three Board members to ensure that there is a quorum so that the Tottenham Hotspur matter could be discussed,” de Freitas explained.

Sisulu reportedly failed to explain why this was urgent in the first place, particularly considering that the Tottenham deal was only a proposal with no deadline attached to it.

ALSO READ:   Tottenham Hotspur: DA to send delegation on fact-finding mission regarding R1bn proposal

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