Saying the board exceeded its powers in making an appointment without her consent. From Moneyweb.
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has dissolved the SA Tourism board with immediate effect, saying it exceeded its powers by appointing a board member to carry out some of the functions of the previous chair, Professor Gregory Davids, who resigned in July.
De Lille made good on her threat issued last week to dissolve the board, pending receipt of written reasons for the appointment. Board members were given 48 hours to furnish reasons why the board should not be dissolved.
In a letter to board members, De Lille said she was in the process of filling the vacant positions on the board, which acted prematurely and unlawfully in making an appointment that is the responsibility of the minister under the Tourism Act.
In explaining her reasons for the dissolution, De Lille says the board contravened its own charter by holding a special board meeting that was not convened by the chair. Nor was there a board resolution adopting the round-robin decision making procedure that was used in making the appointment.
This follows a decision made by the board, without the minister’s approval, to appoint one of its members to communicate and manage all board decisions after Davids resigned in July.
According to a press statement from the minister, she previously cautioned the board of the possible implications of failing to follow due process when convening both special and ordinary meetings.
“On 4 July 2025, in a meeting with the board – followed by a letter to the board dated 13 July 2025 – the minister expressed her concerns about the board’s failure to follow governance procedures, which undermines the integrity of the board and could render outcomes from such meetings procedurally invalid and unlawful.”
It also placed CEO Nombulelo Guliwe on precautionary suspension on 13 August, citing governance lapses and dissatisfaction over the handling of the Africa Travel Indaba held in Durban in July.
Read: Africa’s Travel Indaba and G20 highlight SA’s global events capabilities
Last week, De Lille notified the board that its suspension of Guliwe was unlawful in the absence of a properly appointed chairperson. “This means the board, in its current form, is not properly constituted to take such a resolution,” she wrote.
The board sought its own legal advice and came to the conclusion that the steps taken to suspend Guliwe and call a special board meeting were lawful.
Moneyweb understands the board had written to De Lille on the urgency of filling the vacant chair position, as this hobbled its ability to function and make decisions. Based on the legal advice received, it decided to appoint a board member to take over some of the functions of the chair pending the appointment of a new chair.
De Lille has written to the board members informing them of her decision and is now in the process of appointing an interim structure, as required under the Tourism Act.
“In addition to this, I will also be starting a separate process to recruit members of the board in terms of section 13(3) of the Act. This will be open to all persons who will meet the qualification criteria.”
De Lille said the dissolution of the board will not derail ongoing programmes, including SA Tourism’s collaboration with the Tourism Business Council of South Africa to deliver a successful G20 summit later this year.
Read: The G20 and South Africa’s events tourism economy
She is also finalising plans for the inaugural Tourism Investment Summit, where bankable infrastructure projects from both the public and private sectors will be presented before local and international investors. The investment summit will take place on 10 September 2025 in Cape Town and will be attended by various tourism ministers from G20 member states, as well as delegates from the World Travel and Trade Council.
