Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has announced the appointment of seven new members with significant tourism and executive leadership expertise to the board of South African Tourism. The appointments follow the recent removal of Chairperson Makhosazana Khanyile and her deputy Lizelle Haskins due to “an excessive number of meetings” held by the board during the 2024/25 financial year. The duo subsequently resigned as ordinary members of the board.

The new board members announced on Friday, 27 September are:

• Rachel Nxele (SATSA Vice Chairperson)
• Jonathan Gadiah (Thompsons Africa CEO)
• Judi Nwokedi (Gauteng Tourism Authority Chair)
• Miller Matola (Founder and CEO of Millvest)
• Lawson Naidoo (Executive Secretary of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution)
• Siza Mzimela (Former Transnet Freight Rail CEO)
• Tumelo Selikane (MD of Nielsen Sports South Africa)

In a press statement, SATSA said the appointments of Nxele, Gadiah and Nwokedi, in particular, ensure strong representation of the private sector’s perspective.

“Their deep understanding of the industry's challenges and opportunities will be invaluable in shaping policies that benefit the entire tourism ecosystem.”

The inbound association is also encouraged by the diverse expertise and experience represented on the board.

“We are confident their collective knowledge and leadership will be instrumental in guiding SA Tourism towards a successful future. We look forward to collaborating closely with the board to address the challenges and opportunities facing our industry and contribute to the sustainable growth of tourism in South Africa.”

When De Lille removed Khanyile and Haskins on September 10, she noted the board had used 63% of its annual meeting budget of R1.44 million (€75 000) within less than half the financial year (ending March 31, 2025).

The Democratic Alliance (DA) voiced concern about the ongoing instability of the SA Tourism board after the widely publicised Tottenham Hotspur scandal.

“While we seek full details on recent events at SA Tourism, we urge the board and the Minister to work collaboratively in restoring stability within the entity as SA Tourism plays a vital role in driving growth and investment in the tourism sector, which has potential to stimulate much-needed investment and job creation. However, this requires SA Tourism to operate with effective leadership, proper financial management and full accountability,” said DA Spokesperson for Tourism Haseena Ismail.