M&G Ranking

The tourism industry has to be the hardest hit in the 2020-21 financial year. Businesses came to a standstill, requiring relief which was made possible through the tourism relief fund, through which R200-million was paid to 4 000 enterprises and R17-million was paid out to 4 650 freelance tourist guides. 

Although this was a partial achievement for the department, parliament questioned the irregularities found by the auditor general where state employees were among the beneficiaries. The Supreme Court of Appeal also found that the tourism relief fund disbursement process was unlawful and invalid.

Although slow, there was some progress in the women in tourism initiative, which aims to improve the participation of women in the sector.

Enterprise development and transformation in the industry remains a challenge despite some isolated successes. Although Mmamoloko Kubayi has been moved to the department of human settlement, her time there is going to be tougher, with no minister yet able to address the housing backlog, the scandals or finding the right boards to head up the entities. 

However, she has begun her work in earnest by axing some tainted names in the embattled housing entities.

Kubayi says

“These are your observations and I don’t think it is appropriate for me to influence your observations.”