Comedian Trevor Noah is the subject of furore after reports surfaced about his deal with SA Tourism to promote South Africa for five minutes in exchange for a once-off R33 million payment.
De Lille insists Trevor Noah R33 million bill will not be footed by govt
However, Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille has clarified that no government money will be used for this venture.
As reported by News24, the controversy stemmed from remarks made by Tandi Mahambehlala, the chairperson of Parliament’s tourism committee.
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During a committee meeting, Mahambehlala expressed concern about Trevor Noah’s supposed R33 million price tag for a five-minute promotional video advert.
The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), led by CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhenga, vehemently denied any government involvement in this matter.
Tshivhenga asserted that the project was a private-sector initiative and had no ties to the government or Parliament.
Minister De Lille echoed this sentiment, making it explicitly clear that the TBCSA would be responsible for covering the costs associated with Noah’s promotional work.
She emphasised that no government funds would be used in this endeavour.
Responding to concerns raised by a whistleblower, De Lille stated:
“I am not mocking anyone. Anything that a whistleblower says must be looked at further or investigated. In this instance, I can tell you that the whistleblower did not give you the full story. It was on 21 July [2023] that I made the comment. The whistleblower did not tell you that I informed everybody that this was done by the private sector.”
This controversy comes on the heels of earlier issues within South Africa’s tourism sector.
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De Lille had previously dissolved the South African Tourism Board due to concerns about its conduct, composition, and allegations raised by the Acting CEO of SA Tourism regarding the board’s functioning.
De Lille’s decision to scrutinise public spending on tourism promotion aligns with the current economic climate, where responsible use of public funds is of paramount importance.
“Given the circumstances we find ourselves in economically, we have to be much more careful and give consideration to everything that we do as government. Money must be spent wisely and prudently at all times as we are entrusted with public funds,” she emphasised at the time.
Here are some of the social media reactions to the Trevor Noah R33 million deal.
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