The Democratic Alliance (DA) wants Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille to urgently account to Parliament following the precautionary suspension of South African Tourism CEO, Nombulelo Guliwe.

The party says De Lille’s decision to attack the Board’s decision will scapegoat Guliwe.

De Lille says, according to legal advice, only the Chairperson of the Board can call a Board meeting, and SA Tourism currently has no Board Chairperson.

DA MP Haseena Ismail says, “Instead of focusing on the allegations against the CEO, the Minister is fixated on whether the board had the authority to suspend her without a chairperson. However, it cannot be that the Minister attacks the board while giving no attention to the serious allegations against the CEO.

Meanwhile, Ministerial Spokesperson, Aldrin Sampear, says, “The Minister has written to the board to give reasons on why they believe the board should not be dissolved. The submissions have now been received, and the Minister is currently looking at those. The Minister will also be convening the sector and speaking to them about the developments that have taken place at South African Tourism.”