By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
CEO of Cape Town Tourism, Enver Duminy,Photo Credit: Cape Town Tourism.
Three SA Tourism (SAT) board members resigned on Friday following criticism around the Tottenham Hotspur sponsorship deal.
Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen and Rosemary Anderson tendered their resignations effective immediately.
South African Tourism board chairperson Aubrey Mhlongo confirmed the resignations, specifically recognising Duminy and Nadasen, who were serving their third term.
Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has accepted the resignations. The process of appointing “suitable replacements” is under way.
The resignations were announced shortly after reports that SA Tourism’s interim chief financial officer, Johan van der Walt, linked to an agency identified in the controversial Tottenham sponsorship proposal.
SA Tourism has proposed a three-year deal with the English Premier League club, worth £42.5 million (about R900 million), starting at the beginning of the 2023-’24 season and ending at the end of the 2026-’27 season.
SA Tourism would receive kit branding, interview backdrop branding, match-day advertising, partnership announcements, training camps in South Africa and free access to tickets and stadium hospitality.
However, President Cyril Ramaphosa has also added his voice to the saga, saying he did not believe it was appropriate to spend almost R1bn on the marketing campaign.
“We do not think spending so much money in the manner that is being suggested will be justified,” presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya said, adding Ramaphosa had not been briefed on the matter.