Cosatu wants government to halt R1bn Hotspur deal

JOHANNESBURG - There are growing calls for SA Tourism to scrap the controversial shirt sleeve sponsorship deal for English Premiership club, Tottenham Hotspur. 

Cosatu is calling on government to halt the deal until everyone involved can give more details on the conflict of interest allegations.

READ: SA Tourism | 'One or two members were being probed'

The trade union federation says the money can be used elsewhere.

"Let's give it to struggling SMMEs in the tourism sector who have been crying for the past three years to get any sort of relief from the Department of Tourism and who have been met with deaf ears," said Cosatu's Matthew Parks.

"To go and bail out a very rich English club makes no sense, not while South Africans are struggling."

READ: Kathrada Foundation rejects SA-Tottenham deal

The fallout from the controversial Tottenham Hotspur deal has cost SA Tourism three board members who've all resigned with immediate effect.

While it's believed they resigned for disagreeing with the deal, the tourism minister's spokesperson says some of the members were being investigated for improper conduct.

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu meanwhile met with the SA Tourism Board.