JOHANNESBURG – The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has accused South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille, of political interference after she dissolved the SA Tourism Board this week.
The minister announced on 19 August that the board was disbanded with immediate effect, citing unlawful procedures in the way it convened a special meeting on 1 August.
Outa said it was “outraged” by the decision, describing it as a direct assault on governance and accountability. The civil society watchdog argued that instead of backing the board in its efforts to address governance concerns, De Lille chose to protect suspended SA Tourism CEO Nombulelo Guliwe. 
“Instead of supporting her own competent board for holding executive management accountable, the minister has chosen to protect the SA Tourism CEO by disbanding the very body tasked with oversight,” Outa said.
The organisation added that the board’s suspension of the CEO had been a unanimous decision and insisted that the absence of a chairperson did not make the meeting unlawful. Outa further blamed De Lille for the chairperson vacancy, saying her inaction created the governance gap.
According to Outa, the board had been pursuing irregular financial conduct within SA Tourism and the minister’s move undermined accountability at the state entity.
