CEO of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), Mduduzi Vilakazi, has been placed on precautionary suspension pending an investigation into alleged misconduct.

This was announced in a short press statement, with an MTPA spokesperson telling Tourism Update that there were no further details to be disclosed at this stage.

“Further details will be provided as soon as the investigation is concluded,” he said. It is unknown how long the investigation will take.

Justus Mohlala will serve as Acting CEO in the interim. He previously served as General Manager at MTPA.

Vilakazi served as Chief Financial Officer before taking on the post of Acting CEO in April 2022.

In November 2022, MTPA employees forced Vilakazi out of his office after levelling serious allegations of corruption, maladministration and mismanagement against him.

At the time, Vilakazi denied the allegations.

By February last year, MTPA announced that Vilakazi had been cleared of all charges following a forensic audit.

Clean audit third year running

Last week, the Agency announced that it had received a clean audit opinion from the Auditor-General of South Africa. This is the third successive clean audit by the public entity of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

”We view the clean audit opinion as a standard which confirms that the MTPA has followed all laws and regulations in carrying out its mandate. It further assures the public that the public purse has been used for its purpose,” said an MTPA spokesperson.

”The clean audit opinion is supported by a 46% increase in revenue generation and an increase in international tourist arrivals, with Mpumalanga being the second most visited province by international tourists.”