South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille, dissolved the SA Tourism Board with immediate effect on August 19 following its decision to suspend SA Tourism CEO Nombulelo Guliwe.
In a letter to the Board, which Tourism Update has seen, De Lille says the resolution taken on August 1 to suspend Guliwe was “unlawful” and that members acted ultra vires (beyond their powers). She cites several contraventions of the Tourism Act and the SA Tourism Board Charter. According to De Lille in her letter, only a duly appointed Chairperson is empowered to convene a special Board meeting yet the August 1 meeting was not convened by a Chairperson.
A statement issued by De Lille’s office today (August 20) claims that the Minister has, on multiple occasions, cautioned the Board of the implications of failing to follow due processes in meetings and governance procedures.
Who was on the Board?
The dissolved Board, appointed in September 2024, comprised:
- Judi Nwokedi, Chairperson of Gauteng Tourism Authority
- Miller Matola, Founder and CEO of Millvest
- Ikaneng Pilane, SATSA Chairperson and Co-Founder of Graskop Gorge Lift Company
- Maija de Rijk-Uys, MD of Go2Africa
- Tumelo Selikane, MD of Nielsen Sports SA
- Ayanda Mazibuko, GM of Southern Sun
- Jonathan Gadiah, CEO of Thompsons Africa
- Lawson Naidoo, Director of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution
- Rachel Nxele, SATSA Vice Chairperson and MD of OTB Group
De Lille confirmed that she will appoint an interim structure while launching a new recruitment process for Board members.
“The Minister assures South Africans and the tourism sector that these developments will not derail the ongoing programmes, including SA Tourism’s collaboration with the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, to deliver a successful G20 Summit,” De Lille’s Spokesperson Aldrin Sampear asserted.
*This is a developing story.
