Patricia de Lille, South Africa’s Tourism Minister, has vehemently denied allegations that public funds will be used to pay comedian and former US TV show host, Trevor Noah, a whopping R33 million for a five-minute promotional video aimed at boosting South Africa’s tourism industry.
These claims arose following statements made by Tandi Mahambehlala, the chairperson of Parliament’s tourism committee, which drew widespread attention to the proposed deal. Mahambehlala, during a committee meeting and in a subsequent media statement, expressed concerns about the reported expenditure of R33 million on Trevor Noah for a brief promotional video.
Tshifhiwa Tshivhenga, the CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), refuted any government involvement in the matter. He clarified that the project was a private sector initiative and would not be subject to government oversight or reporting.
Minister de Lille reaffirmed this stance, assuring the public that the bill for Trevor Noah’s services would be covered entirely by the TBCSA. She made it unequivocally clear that no taxpayer money would be allocated to this endeavor.
Despite these assurances, a whistleblower raised concerns about the use of public funds. In response, de Lille emphasized the importance of investigating any whistleblower claims, but she also pointed out that the whistleblower had omitted crucial information. She stated that during her remarks on July 21st, she explicitly mentioned that the project was privately funded by the tourism stakeholders present at the meeting.
De Lille further clarified her position by saying, “I can tell you that in my last engagement, when I met with the chair of the tourism council… if you want anything on the matter with Trevor Noah, please contact them.” Mahambehlala likened the situation to a past controversy involving a marketing deal with Tottenham Hotspur, which was ultimately canceled.
South African Tourism faced previous scrutiny in February over a proposed three-year deal worth £42.5 million (nearly R1 billion) with Tottenham Hotspur, as reported by Daily Maverick.
In conclusion, Patricia de Lille firmly asserts that no public funds will be used to compensate Trevor Noah for his promotional efforts. She emphasizes that the project is a private sector initiative, and any claims to the contrary are unfounded. The controversy surrounding this issue draws parallels with previous debates over government spending on marketing deals, raising questions about transparency and oversight in such agreements.
