JOHANNESBURG - The dissolved SA Tourism Board has rejected Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille’s claims of poor governance and unlawful conduct.
Board member Lawson Naidoo says the minister is “mistaken” in alleging the board held an irregular meeting on 1 August.
“There was no board meeting on the 1st of August, and that was the basis on which the minister informed us a couple of days ago that the board is being dissolved ... and I emphasise that there was no such board meeting,” he says.
De Lille dissolved the SA Tourism Board with immediate effect on Wednesday. The move follows governance concerns and questions around the board’s leadership.
But Naidoo insists the board was instead addressing dysfunction within SA Tourism, including procurement irregularities and the suspension of the company secretary and chief marketing officer, before it was disbanded.
Civil society group Outa has urged the axed board members to challenge the minister’s decision in court.