GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
24 March 2023
The prize for South Africa’s most tone-deaf proposition of 2022 must go to SA Tourism for its proposed R1B Tottenham Hotspurs shirt sponsorship deal.
Thankfully, there’s a new Minister of Tourism around, GOOD Leader Patricia de Lille, who doesn’t brook that type of nonsense.
We’ll leave the question as to whether or not embroidering the words “South Africa” on Tottenham’s shirts would lead to more bums on the seats of incoming flights to the marketing experts.
The question many other South Africans are understandably asking is how South Africa can afford to prioritise anything above addressing our crucial priorities, including replacing pit toilets at schools or providing a measly R350 grant for millions of struggling, unemployed, dirt-poor people.
But, tourism is of massive importance to South Africa’s economy, with plenty of room for growth and increased economic opportunities. SA Tourism has a budget to market the destination, but it doesn’t have a license to spend money recklessly and without regard for the country’s mood and State procurement requirements.
Therefore, taking that and our economic situation into consideration, we have to ensure that the money is spent on tourism projects that will not only attract more people to our country, but that will lead to meaningful development and participation of communities with plenty of tourism potential.
We laud Aunty Pat for not allowing the grass to grow under her feet in her new portfolio before requesting a legal opinion on the Tottenham proposal. She announced today that the legal opinion is that proposal is flawed in three critical areas.
She said she had written to the SA Tourism Board to request its response to the opinion by Wednesday.
But she also had some advice for the Board: “My advice to the board, considering all the factors and the priorities we need in our country, we owe the public an explanation. My advice to the Board is to stop the deal immediately.”
That’s the Aunty Pat we know.
Media Enquiries:
Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
Cell: 0825183264
Email: bretth@forgood.org.za
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 0733671223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za