Question NW981 to the Minister of Tourism
21 April 2023 - NW981
Matumba, Mr A to ask the Minister of Tourism
(1) What is the fate of the implementation of the Tourism Equity Fund, given the recent ruling by the Constitutional Court on 8 February 2023; (2) whether she will be lodging a fresh court case given that in its judgement, the Constitutional Court held that it would rather deal with the issues of the powers of the Minister to include the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) selection criteria in the next new matter that will raise such issue; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) (a) how will her department reprioritise the funds that were used to capitalise the Tourism Equity Fund and (b) in line with the recommendations of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, what has she done to engage various stakeholders with a view to raise awareness about the importance of including B-BBEE criteria as means to entrench transformation in the sector?
Reply:
(1) I have been informed by the Department that the Constitutional Court’s decision of the 8th of February 2023 relates to another application against the Minister of Tourism concerning the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) and not the Tourism Equity Fund (TEF).
However, on 26 April 2021 the High Court of South Africa, in Pretoria, ordered that the Respondents, including the Minister of Tourism, are interdicted and restrained from processing any application and/or making any payments pursuant to any application for funding from the Tourism Equity Fund (TEF) pending the determination and finalisation Part B (main application) of the application. This litigation is still ongoing.
(2) N/A
(3) (a) N/A
(b) N/A