The Democratic Alliance (DA) has accused Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille of failing to provide written legal advice used to justify the dissolution of the SA Tourism Board in 2025.
In a press release issued on June 3, Haseena Ismail, MP serving on the Tourism Portfolio Committee and the DA’s official spokesperson on Tourism, said De Lille initially indicated that written legal advice existed and later stated that the advice was provided verbally.
“The DA can reveal that De Lille cannot produce any written legal advice for dissolving the Board of SA Tourism in 2025,” said Ismail.
“De Lille told Parliament her decision was based on legal advice and she committed to the DA in April 2026 to provide the written legal advice but, a month later, in May 2026, she suddenly did an about-turn and now claims she only received ‘verbal legal advice’.”
The SA Tourism Board was dissolved on August 19, 2025, shortly after it suspended CEO Nombulelo Guliwe. According to the DA, the report recommended action against Guliwe relating to alleged “fruitless and wasteful expenditure” amounting to R4.2 million (US$255 090) during her tenure as CFO in 2021.
The decision to dissolve the Board sparked a strong reaction across the tourism industry at the time with De Lille maintaining her decision was informed by legal advice.
According to correspondence released by the DA, the party submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act request on October 14, 2025, seeking documents related to the Board’s dissolution. Although the request was initially denied, an appeal was granted on April 14 this year.
Ismail said correspondence accompanying the successful appeal indicated that written legal advice will be made available because the minister relied on it in making the decision.
However, subsequent letters, dated May 22 and May 26, reportedly stated that no written legal advice existed and that the minister instead received verbal legal guidance during consultations preceding the decision.
In a letter addressed to De Lille on June 1, Ismail requested clarity regarding what she described as contradictory explanations from the minister and the Department of Tourism.
Responding to questions from Tourism Update, De Lille confirmed there is no written legal advice predating her decision to dissolve the Board.
“The legal advice I relied on in reaching this decision was conveyed verbally during consultations preceding the decision,” she said.
De Lille said the process to appoint a permanent SA Tourism Board is nearing completion.
“The recommendations of the full Board will now go to Cabinet. We are targeting the July Cabinet cycle.”
Regarding investigations linked to the dissolution of the previous Board, De Lille said: “The matter is currently before the courts.”
