Dear Portfolio Committee on Tourism,

Kindly be advised that though the idea of promoting RSA as a tourist destination for UK through sponsorship to Tottenham seems right, the timing is just off particularly on the basis of the transaction not promoting transformation and shared value for all SA tourism active stakeholders to meaningfully participate / benefit especially the HDSA.

Many HDSA Tourism businesses have not quite 'come-back' post the aftermath of COVID-19 including those that were doing well. Without racializing the issue; but mainly the big majority White owned / managed Tourism establishments survived COVID, many which have premium membership to associations and councils who dominate and have prime access to & control the foreign market / inbound Tourism. Hence by investing in Tottenham Spurs would not necessarily broaden the shared value benefit impact in a manner that is congruent with the Tourism Transformation Agenda.

As a result I would rather propose that the intended investment for Tottenham Spurs be directed towards some of the prohibitions that bring our SA Tourism sector in disrepute ultimately leading to decline in in-bound tourism:

- Local Tourism Product Improvement: funding refurbishments and other enhancements to those establishments that never accessed COVID relief funds.

- Establishments' Energy Infrastructure improvements: to give tourists assurance of non-blackouts during visits.

- Crime, Safety & Security enhancements: along key routes in each province, complimented by SAPS including in-community policing enhancement utilizing digital technology (such as drone) to cover vast areas coupled with strengthening of community policing forums. This can even be an institutionalized service where product-owners contribute a nominal fee for self-sufficiency purposes.

- Shared Value Creation optimization: particularly through oversight, monitoring and evaluation of business to contribute towards BBBEE sector codes as per provisions thereof where transformation is optimized. In so doing there will be realization of benefit-sharing trickling from such Tourism establishments/ businesses and into their neighboring/ host communities. For example, ensuring that Socio Economic Development, Skills Development and other transformation imperatives are funded / supported. Oversight should include demonstration of Portfolio of Evidence (POE) including site visits or engagements with beneficiaries. An advantage/ impact of doing so can help minimize social and community unrests where the disgruntled block roads or even intimidate guests on the basis of non or minimal benefit.

Another example, it typically doesn't make sense that major establishments like Sun City Resort have sunset clauses of operating on the premises they operate from on the basis of a 99 year lease, which was secured during an oppressive apartheid Era and yet the bona-fide landowners do not show / demonstrate value derived in the past 43 years from the business including no meaningful commitment or plan (with timelines) to improve that for the next 56 years remaining of the lease period. Though there is supposedly authorities (e.g. Gaming Board) to have oversight over such and protect the transformation agenda very little is done to optimally hold the business fully accountable on other BBBEE elements such as SED, CSI, Procurement including Skills Development (including upskilling, reskilling and hence employment equity).

The Business has golf caddies who supposedly have a Caddies Foundation that is suppose to be interdependent yet finances accrued there are primarily decided by a few Resort Executives (Whites) in exclusion of the Caddies' (Black) independent decision-making on their funds. They have no medical cover, insurances, stable income, are not registered at labour's to an extent that some are at retirement stage but will sadly 'go home' with nothing.
The above are just but some examples of International/ National Tourism destinations in the country who do not authentically do justice to their communities but rather offer superficial value. Such establishments then end up benefitting far much more than other local Tourism establishments including their communities when the UK Tottenham Spurs Sponsorship is done.

The Tourism Portfolio Committee needs to have a special project / focus on these major establishments including associations and councils of an international or national significance not with intentions of being destructive to them but rather ensure that they are held accountable to contribute optimally to the Tourism Transformation Agenda; where shortfalls exist beyond control of such establishments then the Portfolio Committee to assist to promptly resolve any bottlenecks as such establishments also continue to provide employment to many.