Hon House Chair, I move:
That the Report be adopted.
Declaration(s) of vote:
Madam House Chair, the latest data released by the Statistic SA confirmed that the tourism sector is not growing at its full potential and is, in fact, regressing. There are number of reasons for this.
This includes, but not limited to the current visa regime and visa processing issues and safety and security concerns. The statistics confirmed that fewer international tourists are visiting our shores, be it from African countries or other part of the world.
Countries specifically targeted by Tourism South Africa have shown a dramatic decrease in tourists to our country. This includes China, which has shown a decrease by 10%. German tourists have traditionally contributed high numbers of visitors to our shores, but those have decreased by 6,5%. Tourists from other African countries have also cumulatively to dropped by 1,4%. For this statistics to change, the Department of Tourism needs to do things differently as a start to this co-ordinating more aggressively and tightly with other departments such as Home Affairs and Police as well as entities such as SA National Parks, Sanparks. The time for government to partner with entities to work in silos is over.
In addition, the department needs to resolve the dispute with the chief executive officer, CEO, of Tourism South Africa. Government needs to redirect its budget to change
the image of South Africa. Activities such as Rugby World Cup victory this weekend should be capitalised on and piggy-banked on. To date government is allowing such opportunities to be lost. This must change so that the number of international tourists to our shores can increase. This would have knock- on affect on growing jobs and our economy. I thank you.
Hon Chairperson, the EFF is here to reject this report. This sector still remains the highly constricted sector controlled by few white people and excludes the majority of our people. It is white people who own lodges, nature reserves and who are in control and even state-owned nature reserves. It is these people who benefit from the tourism. The Department of Tourism has failed dramatically to change a nature of tourism in this country.
Tourists still come to the same destinations controlled by the old club boys. We have not been able to diversify our tourists' attraction to the rest of the country. Tourists still comes mainly to three provinces which are Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. We have immersed
potential to diversify this sector to other provinces such as Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, for those who are interested in historical and heritage tourism. We have not been able to do so because the very nature of South African economy favours those who have accumulated property in the past.
Further, there are no consequences for those who are racist in transformation in this country. They are aided by the government in excluding black people from the industry. To be part of the ocean economy, one must have R1,5 million in his bank account. The overall black participation is at less than 48% and the black women ownership is at less than 10%. Black participants are only found in the poorest provinces which are Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng are mainly dominated by the white people. We are against the antitransformed tourism. [Time expired.]
Hon House Chairperson, when the Inkatha Freedom Party voted on the budget at the beginning of this Parliament, we focused on issues of safety and water security that affect the tourism industry. To date, we
see that there has been little done to achieve security in this regard. Now, we find the report that the department has not submitted the full extent of its fruitless and wasteful expenditure as required by the Public Finance Management Act in section 43(1). One must question how serious this department is - under the leadership of the current Minister. This report is vitally in assessing the true sad state of the department and work on turnaround strategy in the interest of the state.
The potentials of this department were well-known in 2018, these sectors contributed to 1,5 million jobs and R425,8 billion contributed to the economy. Yet, there are figures which cannot be improved upon the unlocked more jobs and higher revenue for South Africa. The committee made two of all remarkable recommendations: that the Minister of Finance should work with the department to reprioritise the budget in order to further unlock the contribution that tourism makes the gross domestic product, GDP, and that the Minister of Tourism develop strategy plans which include the participations and privatisation of villages, townships and small towns.
The IFP proposes that the budget be directed and spent on programme that are targeted for agritourism to support food security and tourism within the rural areas. Tourism in the rural areas needs to be met with enough infrastructures such as roads, formally common areas of trading and most importantly, water infrastructure. The department must also focus on training of people in the rural areas. The IFP supports the BRRR. [Time expired.]
Hon House Chair, tourism is one of South Africa's leading industries. The department's role is observed ... [Inaudible.] ... policy and strategic frameworks for the growth of tourism. With the decline in tourism arrivals, one must have a look at the factors that cause such declines. One of the great factors is crime in our country: a Prestige Hotel where 15 men held up guests with firearms, a stabbing to death of a 44- year-old tourist in Table Mountain National Park, the stabbing of a 33- year-old tourist that was three months pregnant and her husband while they were peacefully sleeping in the Eastern Cape, theft of property at reserves and even tourists being followed from airports just to rob them of their personal belongings at
gunpoint, hijackings, violent service delivery protests and, the latest, where a rock climber was shot to death.
To address the problem of crime is to see the big picture where the department cannot work in silos. For a healthy tourism environment you need, firstly, grave and responsible government, functional local government, a clean environment and action against crime, with a healthy economy that favours entrepreneurship. The department must not overlook policy that appeals to all government departments by which success in tourism will only be established by the united government all giving effect to helping the tourism market back to health.
We need a government that does not talk or campaign for the next election. We need a responsible government that is willing to take unpopular decisions, as leaders should do. Our ANC government only wants to please their voters, and is a party that take popular decisions, thereby creating unrealistic policies while there is proof that they do not work. With a greater government even a tourism industry can show significant growth, but only
with a real leadership and great political will in government.
Afrikaans:
Suid-Afrika is een van die gesogste teorismebestemmings. Suid-Afrika kan toeriste 'n unieke stukkie van die wreld bied en doen 'n beroep op die Minister om 'n groter prentjie van samewerkende departemente te kry, om so ook by te dra tot een van die markte wat 'n groot rol in werkskepping en ekonomiese vooruitgang in Suid-Afrika speel. Hiermee keur die VF Plus die verslag af.
Afrikaans:
Voorsitter, die toerisme sektor speel 'n baie belangrike rol in die ekonomie van ons land. Die sektor bevat enorme moontlikhede vir ekonomiese transformasie en werkskepping deur programme wat veral vroue en jongmense teiken.
Daarom verwelkom die ACDP die aanbevelings van die komitee.
English:
Tourism is a trigger for economic growth in the key areas that can transform the lived reality of those on the fringes of the economy. It gives easy access to skills development and new business development. It is a sector that carries our diverse culture and unique story to those who dare to come in spite of the challenges or what they may have heard about us.
Afrikaans:
Dit is hoekom ons vandag die departement aanmoedig om deur 'n multisektoriese benadering die Suid-Afrika storie na die buiteland te vat.
English:
We must ensure that our strategies to combat crime is not only implemented but shared with the world.
Afrikaans:
Ons is 'n nasie wat nie stil sit in ons probleme nie. Ons takel ons probleme en ons veg vir die toekoms. En dit is wat die wreld wil hoor.
English:
We have a great story. The boys in green and gold promoted the strength of the South African brand. The department must leverage on this great story so that the realities that we face, such as crime and joblessness, by our collective efforts, does not define our country's narrative abroad.
The department must tackle the issues that prevent growth of new entrance into the market, especially small business development for women, youth and those living with disabilities in this sector.
This department must make a genuine effort to tackle the recommendations put forward by this committee because our brand, South Africa, has great value, and we must believe and promote that. I thank you.
House Chair, the recommendations made by the committee are borne out of the role that the tourism sector is expected to exert as a catalyst for economic growth. While the committee is not satisfied with the financial and nonfinancial performance of the department and SA Tourism for the 2018-19 financial year, the
department of Tourism as the prime of the South African tourism market has to work closely with Brand SA, SA Tourism, Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, Brand Experience and Visitors Experience teams to bolster the tourism market.
All these role players, to be fair, have made great strides in their various roles made great strides to contribute to South Africa as the most reliable appealing resilient and competitive destination for tourism. The rejections by the National Treasury of the committee's proposals for a tourism-funding model for local government through determining a percentage of the budget that could be ringfenced for tourism in the Division of Revenue allocations is deeply regrettable.
Hon members, we need tirelessly to address Visa challenges, especially the visa processing challenges in India, China, New Zealand and Nigeria. Government must deal with issues of policy certainty, water security, wildlife protection and security. We are appalled by the state of funding of the small community tourism enterprises. [Time expired.] Thank you.
Hon Chairperson, the ANC fully supports the BRR report because there is consensus in South Africa that tourism has a potential to create more jobs and contribute to inclusive economic growth. Our national target was articulated by the President in his state of the nation address. It is to double international tourist arrivals to 21 million by 2030.
The target can only be achieved through the renewal of the country's brand and a significant focus on the new market, such as China, India and the rest of the continent. Working together with other portfolio committees such as Home Affairs and the Police, we must progressively address all visa- related issues and significantly improve the safety and security of South Africans and our visitors.
The ANC will ensure that the committee uses its power of oversight over the department and SA Tourism to drive more equitable marketing of tourist destinations in small towns, villages and townships, while at the same time transforming and strengthening the existing tourism infrastructure.
The ANC is pleased with the achievement of service delivery, targets and financial performance of the department. While we are concerned about the slow pace of some of the findings of the Auditor-General on SA Tourism, have been addressed.
The committee will be monitoring adherence of the Auditor-General's recommendation through quarterly report and oversight. The ANC supports this recommendation and review report. Thank you. [Applause.]
Question put: On the motion that the report be adopted.
There were objections.
Voting.
Division demanded.
House divided.