Employees of South Africa Tourism have accused the interim board of using the hotline and whistle-blowing as a means to intimidate and persecute staff members. According to these employees, some executive committee members had their laptops raided and were ambushed under the guise of investigations by the interim board.
The employees also claimed that the interim board chairperson, Tim Harris, failed to secure funding from SA Tourism for his world surfing league. This adds to the controversies surrounding SA Tourism, as the Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Tourism previously accused the board of attempting to dominate the organization.
The appointment of Harris, Kholeka Zama, and Vincent Zwelibanzi Mntambo to the interim board by Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille was met with criticism from some members of Parliament who believed there was a conflict of interest and reputational risk. Tandi Mahambehlala, the committee chairperson, expressed concerns that the new board members were there to remove senior staff members.
In a letter addressed to the staff and signed by Harris, titled “Update on investigations SA Tourism hotline whistle-blowing reports,” it was stated that the board had received briefings and identified seven whistle-blowing reports that could potentially harm the organization’s reputation. The letter emphasized the board’s focus on stability, effective marketing, good governance, and building confidence in the entity.
The letter said two additional reports had been copied to the government ethics hotline. “These reports date back to as far back as May 2022. All the reports have been handed over to the board through the escalation process. One was already under investigation. According to the letter, the investigations started on July 6 with data preservation to ensure all the necessary information was secured and available to investigators.
Overall, the employees’ allegations suggest a tense environment within SA Tourism, with concerns about the board’s actions and decision-making processes.
