Members of Parliament’s tourism committee have accused SA Tourism (SAT)’s new three-member board of disrespecting them.
The committee said it felt snubbed when the board did not attend a parliamentary meeting held on the sidelines of the Tourism Indaba in Durban two weeks ago.
The African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Tuesday cast doubt over the credentials of two board members chosen by Minister Patricia de Lille after the previous board was dissolved over the Tottenham Hotspur sponsorship debacle.
SAT board chairperson Tim Harris and board member Kholeka Zama were in Parliament on Tuesday for the first time since their appointment a month ago.
The ANC and EFF expressed their disapproval of the former Democratic Alliance (DA) MP’s leadership of the tourism agency, given his other travel-related advisory work.
ANC MP Phumeza Mpushe said the new board had also disrespected the committee.
“Why did the minister allow Mr Tim Harris and Mr Mntambo not to attend the portfolio meeting of the ninth on the basis of the fact that they declared that meeting unofficial?”
The EFF’s Anthony Matumba alleged board member, Kholeka Zama, had also not been truthful to Parliament over the temporary transfer of executive powers to the board.
“So the board is implementing and doing oversight on itself?”
But Harris said the transfer of authority was only temporary, to allow the new board to get to grips with what was happening in the organization.
He said executive powers had since been restored to management.
-EWN
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