Ramaphosa orders investigation into SA Tourism over maladministration claims

Remember the fallout from the Tourism Minister's decision to dissolve the board of South African Tourism almost three months ago?

The fired board members have since taken the matter to court, and appeared before Parliament, where Minister Patricia de Lille also defended the action she took after they suspended CEO Nombulelo Guliwe following adverse findings against her by the Auditor-General.

RELATED: De Lille dissolves SA Tourism board: 'This is political interference on steroids' - OUTA

In the latest development, The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is to probe allegations of maladministration and improper conduct in the affairs of the SA Tourism Board.

This relates to the procurement of media buying services at the entity, which is the tourism marketing arm of the government.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation authorising the probe which is linked to three specific invoices and purchase orders, and payments made for services that were not rendered.

It will focus on contracts where media buying services were paid for but either not delivered or not fully executed, covering the period between 1 March 2020 and 21 November 2025.

The SIU is also empowered to investigate any relevant conduct before or after this period.

“The investigation will determine whether the media buying contracts and related payments were conducted in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective,” the SIU said in a statement.

Stephen Grootes gets comment from former SA Tourism board member Oupa Pilane, who says he and his fired colleagues welcome this development.

"We're saying this is long overdue and really needed to happen, and to happen as quickly as possible. It will get into exactly what we were complaining about which is the competence of the suspended CEO who, at the time, was the CFO when most of these transactions were happening.'

As Pilane puts it, when they raised the matter the Minister fired them instead of dealing with it.

'At the end of the day, all of us must be held accountable', he says.

"It doesn't matter how long it takes - it's a question of principle if we want to save this country from political overreach. We've got to have men and women who are brave enough that can speak truth to power, and this is exactly what this team of former board members is doing because it is in the interest of the country not to allow politicians to run rogue."

To hear more from Oupa Pilane on the SA Tourism saga, listen to the interview audio at the top of the article