Question NW1512 to the Minister of Tourism
25 May 2023 - NW1512
De Freitas, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Tourism
(a) On what date was the Director-General (DG) first advised of the proposed sponsorship deal with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, (b) what (i) details was he provided with and (ii) was the response of the DG once he was provided with a full briefing and (c) what oversight mechanisms exist for her department to intervene in instances where it is clear that the SA Tourism Board is not making sound decisions?
Reply:
(a) The Director General was never advised of the matter.
(b) (i) None
(ii) The Director General was never briefed on the matter but learnt about it from media. Upon learning about it from the media, the Director General immediately wrote to the Acting CEO enquiring if the information contained in the article was true and also raise other related governance matters associated thereto. This information was never received to date.
(c) The Department may only know of matters communicated and/or reported to it by the entity and basis of which the Department advises the Executive Authority on appropriate action. Where matters are not brought to the Department’s attention, it would have no means of overseeing such. However, the Board members individually and severally have fiduciary duties which they must uphold at all times and for which they take full accountability.