Corrupt practices across all state departments and state-owned enterprises is not unique or isolated to Water and Sanitation.
African Tourism Board ready to fight alongside a team of winners to rebuild tourism in Africa
- Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu was born on May 10, 1954 and a member of the South African politician, member of parliament since 1994.
- The Hon. Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu was appointed Minister of Tourism by SA President Cyril Ramaphosa in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
- Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of the African Tourism Board congratulates Sisulu and offered his support to assist the new minister reshaping Africa’s narratives through tourism.
Tourism arrivals to South Africa reached a record in January 2018 with 1,598,893 in January and a record low of 29,341 in April of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
South Africa is a tourist destination and the industry accounts for a substantial amount of the country’s revenue.
South Africa offers both domestic and international tourists a wide variety of options, among others the picturesque natural landscape and game reserves, diverse cultural heritage, and highly regarded wines. Some of the most popular destinations include several national parks, such as the expansive Kruger National Park in the north of the country, the coastlines and beaches of the KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces, and the major cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban.
The new minister brings decades of experience but will have her hands full in rebuilding her countries travel and tourism industry. Currently, COVID-19 is at another peak and vaccination rates are low, making international tourism to this country close to impossible.
Cuthbert Ncube, representing the African Tourism Industry as the Chair of the Eswatini based African Tourism Board issued a statement.
Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of the African Tourism Board
Our team is your team! This is the message of hope and support by the African Tourism Board executives.
We’re eady to support the new South African minister. This will help not only South Africa, but all African regions and nations where the tourism industry contributes heavily to the GDP.
Cuthbert said: It is with great honor and excitement as we welcome and congratulate Hon Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu as the Minister of Tourism in South Africa. Her broad and seasonal experience will surely drive the recovery initiatives not only for South Africa but for the Continent at large. South Africa stands as a Continental connectivity Hub of Africa.
At the African Tourism Board, we are looking at collaborating and working closely with the Department of Tourism in South Africa in facilitating Trade and Investment into African Tourism, rebranding African Tourism, reshaping Africa’s narrative and Promoting eco-tourism, as we enhance for sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to-from and within Africa.
Tourism is one of the most promising economic sectors in Africa. It has the potential to not only drive economic growth on the Continent but to catalyze inclusive economic development thereby calling for closer collaboration within our Member States and all sector practitioners to foster a resilient travel and Tourism sector.
The African Tourism Board and its ambassadors across the African continent are working with both the private and public sectors on rebuilding the travel and tourism industry in Africa.
Who is Hon Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Minister Lindiwe Sisulu as the Minister of Tourism on 5 August 2021 in a reshuffle that had no specific purpose in mind, except to rid the government of the Zuma faction within the Cabinet
The new tourism minister is supported by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Fish Mahlalela. The mandate of the Department of Tourism is to create enabling conditions for the sustainable growth and development of tourism in South Africa.
Sisulu was born to revolutionary leaders Walter and Albertina Sisulu in Johannesburg. She is the sister of journalist Zwelakhe Sisulu and politician Max Sisulu.
Ms. Sisulu was appointed as Minister of Tourism on 5 August 2021. She was Minister of Human Settlements, Water, and Sanitation from 30 May 2019 to 5 August 2021. She was Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 27 February 2018 to 25 May 2019. Ms. Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu was the Minister of Human Settlements of the Republic of South Africa from 26 May 2014 until 26 February 2018.
She has been a Member of Parliament since 1994. She has been chairperson of the Inaugural of the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development since 2005. Ms. Sisulu is a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC) and a member of the National Working Committee of the ANC. She was a trustee of the South African Democracy Education Trust; trustee of the Albertina and Walter Sisulu Trust; and a member of the Board of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Academic Qualifications
Ms. Sisulu completed her General Certificate of Education (GCE) Cambridge University Ordinary Level at St Michael’s School in Swaziland in 1971, and GCE Cambridge University Advanced Level in 1973, also in Swaziland.
She holds a Master of Arts degree in History from the Centre for Southern African Studies of the University of York and an M Phil also from the Centre for Southern African Studies of the University of York obtained 1989 with the thesis topic: ”Women at Work and the Liberation Struggle in South Africa.”
Ms. Sisulu also holds a BA degree, a BA Honours degree in History, and a Diploma in Education from the University of Swaziland.
Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities
Between 1975 and 1976, Ms. Sisulu was detained for political activities. She subsequently joined Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and worked for underground structures of the ANC while in exile from 1977 to 1978. In 1979, she received military training specializing in military intelligence.
In 1981, Ms. Sisulu taught at Manzini Central High School in Swaziland, and in 1982, she lectured at the Department of History of the University of Swaziland. From 1985 to 1987, she taught at Manzini Teachers Training College and she was a chief examiner of History for Junior Certificate Examinations for Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. In 1983, she worked as a sub-editor for The Times of Swaziland in Mbabane.
Ms. Sisulu returned to South Africa in 1990 and worked as a personal assistant to Jacob Zuma as head of the ANC’s Department of Intelligence. She also served as Chief Administrator for the ANC at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa in 1991 and as an administrator of Intelligence at the ANC Department of Intelligence and Security in 1992.
In 1992, Ms. Sisulu became a consultant for the National Children’s Rights Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation. In 1993, she worked as director of the Govan Mbeki Research Fellowship at the University of Fort Hare, and from 2000 to 2002, she served as head of the Command Centre for Emergency Reconstruction.
Ms Sisulu was a member of the Management Committee, Policing Organisation and Management course of the University of the Witwatersrand in 1993; a member of management of the Sub-Council on Intelligence, Transitional Executive Council in 1994, and chairperson of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence from 1995 to 1996.
Prior to her appointment as Minister of Public Service and Administration, Ms. Sisulu has served as Deputy Minister of Home from 1996 to 2001. She was Minister of Intelligence from January 2001 to April 2004; Minister of Housing from April 2004 to May 2009; and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans from May 2009 to June 2012.
She was Minister of Public Service and Administration of the Republic of South Africa from June 2012 to 25 May 2014.
Research/Presentations/Awards/Decorations/Bursaries and Publications
Ms. Sisulu has published the following works:
- South African Women in Agricultural Section (pamphlet). York University in 1990
- Women at Work and Liberation Struggle in the 1980s
- Themes in the Twentieth Century South Africa, Oxford University Press. 1991
- Women Working Conditions in South Africa, South African Situation Analysis. National Children’s Rights Committee. UNESCO. 1992
- Housing Delivery and the Freedom Charter: the Beacon of Hope, New Agenda and Second Quarter. 2005.
Ms. Sisulu was awarded the Human Rights Centre Fellowship in Geneva in 1992. Her project for the United Nations Centre resulted in the University of the Witwatersrand School of Business setting up a training course to upgrade the policing skills of MK members.
She received a Presidential Award for the Breaking New Ground in Housing Delivery Strategy by the Institute for Housing of South Africa in 2004; In 2005, she received an award from the International Association for Housing Science in recognition of outstanding contributions and achievements towards improving and solving the world’s housing problems.
Who is Mr Fish Mahlalela, the Deputy Minister of the Department of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa?
Mr. Fish Mahlalela has been the Deputy Minister of the Department of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa since 29 May 2019. He is a member of the African National Congress in the National Assembly of South Africa
He obtained his matric certificate from Nkomazi High School and holds an Honours Degree in Governance and Leadership from the University of the Witwatersrand.
After the 1994 general elections, he was deployed as a member of parliament and has since served the country in different responsibilities in both the province and the national legislatures.
He has been a member of the provincial legislature, where he served amongst others as a chairperson for the Standing Committee on Public Account (SCOPA) and chairperson for the Association of Public Accounts Committee of South Africa, and also served as the chairperson of the Southern Africa Development Committee on Public Accounts.
During his tenure in the Mpumalanga province, he served in various executive positions and notably the following responsibilities, MEC for the department Environmental Affairs and tourism, MEC for Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation, MEC for the Department of Local Government and Traffic, MEC for the Department of Roads and Transport, MEC for the Department of Safety and Security, and MEC for the Department of Health and Social Development.
He also previously served as the ANC Whip in the Portfolio Committee on Health in the National Assembly
Mr. Mahlalela has a proud history in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, was exiled in the 1980s and received military training in numerous countries as a member of the ANC’s military wing, Mkhonto We Sizwe In 2002 he was elected the Chairperson of the ANC in Mpumalanga Province in 2002.
