PRETORIA – South African Tourism is facing questions over how much money it has already spent on the proposed sponsorship deal with Tottenham Hotspur, after Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille received legal advice that the deal would result in irregular expenditure.
The proposed three-year sponsorship deal was worth R900 million, but De Lille has said that it was not budgeted and that she has not received a breakdown of how much has been spent on consultation fees and travel costs related to the deal.
Speaking at a briefing in Pretoria on Friday, De Lille said that prior to the details of the sponsorship deal leaking to the media, a lot of work and resources had taken place behind the scenes for it to materialise.
“This includes a group of the organisation’s board members travelling to London for five days to discuss the deal with representatives from the English football club,” she said.
De Lille has now written to the Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, to enquire if his office has approved any transactions regarding the deal.
“It’s the fiduciary duties of the board, they have not consulted with me and that is why I am saying my advice to the board is to stop this transaction,” she said.
South African Tourism has yet to comment on the matter.
The controversy surrounding the proposed sponsorship deal has raised questions about the organisation’s financial management and the need for greater transparency in the decision-making process.
As De Lille said, “We must ensure that our institutions are run according to the rule of law and that public funds are used for the intended purpose.”
In the meantime, South African Tourism will have to answer some tough questions about its financial management practices and its commitment to transparency and accountability.
