Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille institutes changes to South African Tourism Board 

In the interest of transparency, I hereby wish to update the public on changes to the South African Tourism (SAT) Board. 

At the end of February 2024, following Cabinet concurrence, a new SAT board was appointed and gazetted. 

Over the past few months, the SAT board held a number of meetings as part of their mandate and responsibilities. 

To enable them to conduct their duties, the SAT Board was allocated a budget of R1.44million for board fees for the entire 2024/25 financial year. This is the amount for all board members to be paid for attending meetings. 

In recent months, I had become concerned with the number of meetings the board held and I had written to the SAT Board Chairperson asking for reasons why an excessive amount of meetings were held (27 meetings) in the first quarter of 2024 (between March and June 2024). 

For this financial year, so far, close to R900 000 of the R1.44million has been accrued by the SAT Board for 54 meetings from March and up until the first week of September 2024. 

The Tourism Portfolio Committee has also raised concerns around the excessive amount of board meetings held this year so far and the cost thereof. 

I wrote to the SAT Board Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson on 3 September 2024 requesting them to make representations before I decided on their future roles on the board.

I had requested in my letter that they provide information on why so many meetings were necessary. I had requested this information as these meetings have a direct impact on budget allocation and because the meeting frequencies were excessive. The SAT Board Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson did not respond to me on these questions in their reply.

I have therefore written to the SAT Board Chairperson, Ms Makhosazana Khanyile and Deputy Chairperson, Adv. Lizelle Dominique Jordaan on 9 September 2024 to inform them of their removal from these positions, effective immediately. They will retain their positions as ordinary board members. 

I have also written to board member, Dr Gregory Davids to inform him that I have appointed him as the new Chairperson of the SAT Board.

Media Queries 
Zara Nicholson 
Acting Media Liaison Officer to Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, MP 
Mobile: +27 79 416 5996
Email: znicholson@tourism.gov.za