The SA Tourism board says it will order a forensic investigation into whistle-blowers who leaked the possible sponsorship deal with English football club Tottenham Hotspur.
The board has also decided that investigations be conducted into reports that the agency’s interim CFO, Johan van der Walt, has a conflict of interest with the company involved in the Spurs deal.
SA Tourism said it had a mandate to market SA locally and abroad. The proposal to sponsor football was leaked before the required consultation with the tourism minister and National Treasury, it said.
“Before the consultation processes being undertaken, a presentation containing the details of the Tottenham Hotspur FC deal was regretfully leaked to the public. Unfortunately, this was before the planned consultations with the above-mentioned stakeholders and any final decision on the deal being made,” the statement from the agency said.
“The SA Tourism board has deliberated and resolved that a forensic investigation on the leaking of the SA Tourism board discussions be conducted”.
Tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu, under whose department SA Tourism falls, has expressed concern that SA Tourism acting CEO Themba Khumalo and his board were pursuing resigned board members, instead of suspending the CFO who allegedly brought “ethical defects” to the deal. “Their matter is not relevant to this case and is not worth wasting resources on.”
In the meeting between Sisulu and the board a few days ago, the board made it clear that the CFO had failed to declare his interests in three board meetings, concealing his special relationship with one of the companies involved in the deal.
The minister has ordered a forensic investigation mainly on this serious conflict of interest.
“What must be investigated are all potential transgressors that have brought the image of SA Tourism into disrepute through deliberate deceptions, that includes hidden agencies that stood to benefit from this deal,” she said.
“The minister expects this investigation to start urgently and to leave no stone unturned. The minister is seriously disturbed that the CFO, who is under investigation, is still in the office.”
The targeting of whistle-blowers comes at a time when the government, through the portfolio committee on justice and correctional services, is working to improve their protection and security.
The department of justice is conducting a review into legislation and whether there is sufficient protection for whistle-blowers in law and what can be learnt from overseas.
ACDP MP Steve Swartz said at a Wednesday meeting that included the Special Investigation Unit, National Prosecuting Authority, the Human Rights Commission and political parties all were in agreement that more protection was needed for whistle-blowers.
Participants at the meeting agreed it was “outrageous” that the board wanted to target those who leaked the deal.
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