DA to pose questions on amalgamation of Brand South Africa and South African Tourism

27 October 2022

Please find attached a soundbite by Manny de Freitas MP.

The DA will be asking questions about the almalgamation of Brand South Africa into South African Tourism (SAT) in the Tourism portfolio committee and also submit official questions in this regard.

For the last few months, there has been a concerted effort to amalgamate Brand South Africa - the official custodian of South Africa's national brand - into South African Tourism (SAT).

SAT is the entity that falls within the National Department of Tourism (NDT).

Sources within the department advise me that this was the reason why the Minister of Tourism, Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, had set up a SAT interim board after the tenure of the previous board had lapsed. The interim board was set up to navigate this amalgamation.

However, I have learnt that the Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, is refusing this almalgamation to take place, and has even called for nominations for the new Board of Brand South Africa (see attachment).

This has led to a tug of war between Minister Gungubele and Tourism Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, with the allegation that Gungubele is acting as the President’s “shield” as Sisulu may be using this amalgamation to boost herself and her Department ahead of the ANC conference.

The DA believes that research should have been conducted to ascertain if indeed such an amalgamation would better suit the country and the promotion thereof. Instead, Minister Sisulu's priority criteria seems to be the ANC and its internal battles while the rest of South Africa is stuck in the middle, potentially with government decisions that have been made that do not benefit the country.

The DA will ask the minister what research was undertaken to ascertain if such an amalgamation would be beneficial or not, and in what way. Other questions include what actual outcomes and benefits are being achieved as things stand presently, what the cost implications are at present, and what they would be should an amalgamation take place.

The ultimate objective must always be; how will South Africa benefit? We will not allow the State and State instruments to be abused for personal political gain.

Issued by Manny de Freitas, DA Shadow Minister of Tourism, 27 October 2022