Madam Deputy Speaker, the ACDP believes that tourism has the potential to create far more jobs and earn foreign currency given the beauty of our country and its wonderful people. South African tourism, however, is beset with governance problems as set out in this report which prevents the fulfilment of this potential fully.
What is disgraceful is that South African tourism underspent its budget by R42.618 million and this—the ACDP agrees with the report and the committee’s view—is acceptable given the huge mandate that South African tourism has to market the country domestically and internationally. We also note with concern that it received a qualified audit opinion in the 2024/25 financial year. This is the second consecutive year that it has performed dismally with material misstatements, which is severe.
The ACDP supports the committee’s recommendation that the Minister of Finance, in conjunction with the Minister of Tourism, should commission a feasibility study to restructure South African tourism into a public-private partnership to inject private sector expertise, governance and funding into the national marketing effort. This would insulate South African tourism from political instability and improve its effectiveness. We firmly believe that if this is not done, tourism will not reach its full potential in the country.
Lastly, the ACDP notes that the Minister invited nominations to the purported new Board of Tourism, the closing date of which is tomorrow (5 December 2025). This was done, despite an ongoing court challenge by the dissolved South African Tourism Board, and we share the committee’s concerns that the Minister may not have adequately applied her mind in this regard, given that the matter of the Board is still sub judice.
I thank you.
