Stepping into the roles of Chair and Co-Chair on the SATSA Board are Oupa Pilane and Mandisa Magwaxaza who join Tony Romer-Lee and Rob Hetem in their roles as current Chair and Vice Chair respectively.
The new appointments were announced at SATSA’s 53rd AGM last week, which also confirmed the appointment of SATSA’s Chapter Committees and Board of Directors.
Both Pilane and Mgwaxaza have made exceptional contributions to the work of SATSA in such areas as lobbying on NPTR and safety issues, their work on the Access, Inclusivity and Diversity (AID) Committee and both in their respective roles as Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape Chapter Chairs.
Co-owner of the Graskop Gorge Lift Company and a self-proclaimed activist, Pilane is no stranger to lobbying, having served as a spokesperson in both the public and private sectors for several years. He has been a champion of AID Committee and the NPTR challenge.
Two key priorities for Pilane in his new role as co-chair, he says, will be expanding SATSA’s impact across SADC to strengthen the regional tourism economy and boosting the activities of the SATSA AID Committee, which is a cause very close to his heart.
“The day we have a large list of successful emerging entrepreneurs who say they would not be where they are today because of what SATSA has done for them will be the day I rest easy,” says Pilane. He believes true enterprise development and more relevant training for youths studying tourism will have an immensely positive impact on employing South Africa’s youth – something he hopes SATSA AID can influence.
Magwaxaza, who is also CEO of Molo Mhambi Relations, says her SATSA journey began in 2020 – a gift born out of horrible circumstances, she says.
“The lockdowns that squandered the tourism industry allowed me to work on important issues I may otherwise not have had the time for in regular service as a Chapter Chairperson.
“My passion for tourism stems from a very personal place. I approach my work with purpose and every intention to create more for everybody to benefit. Everybody. The platform I step up to now will allow me to do more to create space and new opportunities for women, micro businesses and youth in tourism. I am here to serve all SATSA members without favour, and contribute to the betterment of the tourism industry, with integrity,” Magwaxaza adds.
Commending both for their service to SATSA, CEO David Frost concluded: “Oupa and Mandisa have led from the front, investing their hearts into SATSA and our initiatives. We are so pleased to see them in these new roles. Our board is slowly becoming the showcase for what we want to see in the industry and country; a platform that encourages different viewpoints from a diverse group of industry role-players to steer SATSA into the future.”
