South Africa’s Tourism Minister removes SAT Board chairperson and deputy over excessive meetings

South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, has announced significant changes to the South African Tourism (SAT) Board, citing concerns over the excessive number of meetings held by the board and their impact on the budget.

In a statement released by the minister’s office, de Lille revealed that a new SAT board was appointed at the end of February 2024 with the approval of the Cabinet. Since then, the board has convened 54 meetings between March and the first week of September 2024, with 27 meetings held in the first quarter alone. This raised alarm bells, leading to scrutiny from both the Tourism Portfolio Committee and de Lille herself.

Minister de Lille disclosed that the SAT board was allocated a budget of R1.44 million for board fees for the 2024/25 financial year. However, almost R900,000 of this amount has already been accrued, prompting the minister to question the necessity of so many meetings. “I had written to the SAT Board Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson on 3 September 2024, requesting information on why the meetings were necessary, as they have a direct impact on budget allocation,” de Lille stated.

Despite the request, both the SAT Board Chairperson, Ms. Makhosazana Khanyile, and Deputy Chairperson, Adv. Lizelle Dominique Jordaan, failed to provide satisfactory explanations in their reply. Consequently, on 9 September 2024, de Lille formally removed them from their leadership roles, although they will remain as ordinary board members.

As part of the reshuffle, de Lille announced the appointment of Dr. Gregory Davids as the new Chairperson of the SAT Board. The minister’s move signals a commitment to transparency and accountability in managing public resources. The excessive board meetings have been under public scrutiny for their impact on the SAT’s operating budget, and this development is expected to bring more stringent oversight going forward.