‘Spread the Love” is more than a slogan; it’s a mission. It’s a commitment to ensure that every corner of our country benefits from the transformative power of tourism.
As Satsa, we are the custodians of South Africa’s tourism story. It is our responsibility to champion equitable growth, to promote sustainable practices and to inspire travellers to explore beyond the familiar.
It will be amiss of me not to speak about the recent developments engulfing our industry.
Today, we gather not just to celebrate the vibrancy of our tourism sector, but to confront a critical truth: tourism is not just about numbers; it is not just about the bottom line.
It is also about ethics, good governance and accountability. These are the pillars that sustain our industry, attract global visitors and ensure tourism remains a force for good in South Africa.
But let me be clear: If businesses or organisations in our sector refuse to take a stand on ethics because they prioritise profits and favours, we have a problem. A big one. And we cannot shy away from addressing it.
Let’s talk about the crisis we find ourselves in today. On 20 August 2025, Minister Patricia de Lille made the unilateral decision to dissolve the South African Tourism Board, a body tasked with promoting our nation as a premier global destination, in a manner that can only be described as a betrayal of trust.
Her stated reason? An alleged “irregular” special meeting on 1 August 2025, which she claimed was unlawfully convened without a chairperson. Let me set the record straight: No such meeting ever took place.
This claim is not just a mere misunderstanding; it is a fabrication designed to silence a board that was on the verge of exposing serious allegations of misconduct and corruption within South African Tourism.
This act is not governance. This is obstruction. This is not accountability. This is a deliberate attempt to shield mismanagement and protect personal agendas at the expense of public good.
On the very day the board was dissolved, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) met with the minister, who agreed that the TBCSA board would mediate the process between herself and the board. Yet, the moment that call ended, the minister unilaterally dissolved the board.
This was not just a procedural misstep; it was an act of disrespect – duplicity at its worst – to the industry and a direct assault on good governance by the minister.
What’s even more concerning was the reaction — or lack thereof — from some members of the TBCSA board. Instead of calling out this overreach, some board members said the TBCSA must not choose sides.
A month before, the minister unilaterally suspended an MOU between the Department of Tourism, Tourism Marketing SA and the Tourism Business Council of SA after the TBCSA questioned the role of the project management office (PMO) in her office which she wanted to be funded by the TBCSA. What did the TBCSA do? They went to the minister begging for a relationship, and actually went further to fund the PMO, which is equal to buying the relationship.
I commend and will forever remain grateful to the esteemed board members who refused to let favour cloud their judgement and chose to speak out, chose the side of the truth, like Satsa. I salute them.
Let me ask you: Since when does protecting profits trump standing up for what is right? Since when do we, as an industry, allow political interference to go unchecked because we fear losing favour? We cannot allow our organisation to be divided by unscrupulous politicians who stand to feed their own greed.
This crisis was created by the minister. We witnessed her exposed in Parliament, fumbling to answer basic questions about her decisions.
Then there’s the matter of the interim board she recently appointed, with no decency to consult anyone, including her deputy minister, let alone the TBCSA. Among them are individuals with questionable characters — some tied to dubious government tenders that have not been explained, others who have faced scrutiny for misleading Parliament under oath, not once, but twice, until the parliamentary committee barred them from returning.
These are the people chosen to steer South African Tourism? This is the minister who claims to be a custodian of good governance? Colleagues, we cannot stand by and applaud this. As the tourism sector, we must not legitimise such appointments.
And what of our international presence? South Africa’s tourism thrives on global visibility, yet this minister has unilaterally halted our participation in international trade shows, citing a need for a return-on-investment study.
No consultation with the private sector, no regard for the damage to our credibility, competitiveness or relationships with global partners. South Africa is absent from the world stage.
The evidence is stark. International markets like IMEX, a global leader in business events, highlight South Africa’s untapped potential, yet we struggle to capitalise on it as we were absent. We are missing the International Golf Travel Market this year, where we had a very impressive presence in 2024.
We are not even sure if we will show up at the World Travel Market. These delays and inefficiencies cost businesses time, money and opportunities. They deter investment and erode confidence in our sector.
Satsa has called this a betrayal of our industry’s mandate, and I agree.
Immediately after the dissolved board made their presentation to the portfolio committee on Tuesday, 2 September 2025, we decided to seek justice through the courts to challenge what we believe is a grave case of political overreach, governance failure and a direct assault on accountability.
Let me be clear from the outset: This is not about personal vendettas or political point-scoring. This is about safeguarding the future of South African tourism, protecting the public purse, and upholding the principles of accountability, transparency and good governance that our democracy demands.
It is about ensuring that no individual, no matter their position, can manipulate processes to protect mismanagement or silence those who dare to ask questions. It is about restoring faith in an industry that employs thousands, contributes billions to our economy, and showcases the beauty and diversity of our nation to the world.
I call on you — industry stakeholders, civil society and every citizen who believes in a better South Africa — to stand with us, to support us as we are in a drive to raise legal fees to challenge this political overarch. Demand transparency. Demand accountability. Demand that those entrusted with leadership act in the best interests of our nation.
I am honoured to have served with men and women of integrity who chose to stand up for our country instead of being silenced.
Together, we formed a board dedicated to safeguarding South African Tourism, an institution entrusted with promoting our nation as a world-class destination. Some of them are present with us today.
If being dissolved for standing against corruption is the price of integrity, then it is a price I wear as a badge of honour. We will not be silenced. We will not back down. Through the courts, we will seek justice, not just for ourselves, but for the future of South African tourism.
I call on the TBCSA to do what is right: retract the invitation for Minister Patricia de Lille to address us at the TBCSA’s upcoming conference. We cannot afford to have a TBCSA that is bullied by the minister. The tourism sector cannot have a weak TBCSA.
This is not a statement I make lightly, but it is one rooted in principle, ethics and a commitment to the future of South African tourism.
Let me be clear: We cannot, in good conscience, platform a minister whose actions have undermined the very governance she claims to uphold, whose decisions have jeopardised our global standing and whose leadership has left us questioning her priorities.
Satsa was clear, bold and resolute when it called out the so-called smiling dictator — imagine anyone daring to claim such a title in a democracy!
That audacity, that arrogance, has no place in the South Africa we are building. A South Africa where freedom, fairness and opportunity are not just ideals but lived realities.
The truth is, belief alone isn’t enough. Hope is not a strategy.
The private sector has consistently stepped up. We innovate, we invest, we market South Africa to the world. We create jobs, drive economic growth and showcase the soul of this nation.
Through Satsa, I call on the private sector to mobilise like never before. We are not powerless. We are the engine of tourism and we have the collective strength to demand change.
To my fellow tourism professionals, the time for waiting is over. Let’s mobilise. Let’s show the government what this industry can do when unleashed. Let’s demand to be heard — not as beggars, but as leaders of an industry that refuses to be ignored. Through Satsa, we will build a tourism sector that doesn’t just survive but thrives — a sector that makes South Africa the world’s must-visit destination.
Let us rise as an industry united. Let us reclaim our voice, our integrity and our future. The time for silence is over. The time for action is now. Together, we are unstoppable. Let’s take charge, and let’s do it now. DM