A pattern of tension between Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille and successive SA Tourism Boards is under scrutiny in Parliament with former Board leaders alleging their removal followed attempts to hold SA Tourism management accountable for alleged governance failures.
During this week’s meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, to discuss the dissolving of the SA Tourism Board, former SA Tourism Board Chairperson Makhosazana Khanyile and Deputy Chairperson Lizelle Haskins alleged they were removed from their leadership positions in September 2024 after they initiated steps to end the CEO’s contract. This took place less than a year before the most recent dissolution of the SA Tourism Board.
Defamation allegations
Khanyile said: “Our removal as Chairpersons was accompanied by public statements we believe were false, defamatory, distorted facts and caused harm to our reputations. The Minister’s intention was to discredit us based on the work we had conducted and because we were effectively dealing with the maladministration within SA Tourism.”
At the time, De Lille said Khanyile and Haskins were removed due to an “excessive amount of meetings”.
However, Khanyile said: “The claim that 54 Board meetings were convened is a distortion of the facts – there were no 54 Board meetings. In reality, there were two ordinary quarterly Board meetings and 11 special Board meetings requested primarily by management.” The remainder comprised induction sessions and sub-committee meetings required for the regular functioning of SA Tourism’s governance structures, she added.
Khanyile pointed out that, when appointed, the Board received “firm instructions” from the sixth administration of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism that they should exercise governance oversight rigorously, follow fiduciary responsibilities and not be “rubber stampers”.
“Those were our marching orders as the new SA Tourism Board,” she said but added: “We learnt very early on that we were dealing with an inept management team led by the CEO – that failed to run SA Tourism effectively and properly, necessitating increased governance interventions by the Board.” Khanyile said this led to the higher frequency of meetings in the first six months.
CEO probation
Khanyile also provided detail on a probation process for the CEO following her appointment on March 1, 2024. “Initially the CEO’s probation was set at three months but, upon our recommendation in May 2024, the Board resolved to extend that probation for an additional three months concluding at the end of August 2024.”
She said the formal probation assessment process included gathering responses from the Chairpersons of Board committees. “A majority of these Chairpersons expressed serious concerns about the CEO’s suitability for the role, citing her inability to adequately represent or manage SA Tourism towards fulfilling its mandate.
“Based on this comprehensive feedback, it was my recommendation to the Board that her employment should not be affirmed due to her demonstrated lack of ability to lead SA Tourism effectively.” Khanyile claims the Board then informed the Minister before passing its final resolution.
“Needless to say, we never had the opportunity to conclude this process,” she added. Khanyile and Haskins received a letter from De Lille demanding an explanation for “alleged irregularities”. Shortly after, both were removed from their leadership positions on the Board.
Legal challenge
Khanyile said the Board sought accountability through proper channels: “We made the conscious decision to seek redress through formal legal channels rather than engage in a public dispute. Finally, confident in the work the Board performed, and knowing the allegations were false, we invited the Minister, in a letter dated September 11, to investigate us. As we understand and, as of today, no investigation has taken place.”
Haskins added that their attorneys attempted mediation: “We sought to resolve the litigation by requesting a retraction of the false and defamatory statements, a formal apology and engaging in mediation. Unfortunately, all of these efforts were rejected by the Minister.”
Minister’s response
In response, De Lille vehemently rejected the suggestion that she acted to protect the CEO in this most recent dissolving of the Board and in previous action against Board members. She said: “I have seen this perception being generated in the media that I’m trying to protect the CEO. That’s why I even said I’m so happy to come to the Portfolio Committee because I knew that here I was going to be given an opportunity to put evidence and facts before you."
“They almost created a situation to say to the Minister ‘You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t’.”
