The R6.18m merry-go-round: SA Tourism CEO case back to square one

Fifteen months after SA Tourism chief executive Nombulelo Guliwe was suspended, her disciplinary case has been sent back to a new chairperson.

This is so that a preliminary objection Guliwe raised can be dealt with. Meanwhile, the suspension has already cost taxpayers more than R6.18 million.

That is almost one and a half times the R4.18 million payment at the centre of the case against her. Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille disclosed both developments in written parliamentary replies.

The replies do not name Guliwe. They refer to the suspended chief executive officer of SA Tourism. Guliwe has been the entity's suspended CEO since August 2025.

EFF MP Ngwanamakwetle Reneiloe Mashabela asked: "What is the update from the new Board of SA Tourism about the disciplinary process against the suspended Chief Executive Officer?"

De Lille replied: "I have been informed that the newly elected Board of South African Tourism (SAT) has dealt with the matter in the following manner: A session was convened with the Senior Counsel who led in the matter. The Senior Counsel briefed the Board on the history of the case, together with advice and a recommended way forward to an efficient resolution of the outstanding matter. A decision was taken by the Board to abide by the ruling of the Appeal Chairperson, that the matter be remitted to a different chairperson so that the Point in Limine raised by the Chief Executive Officer could be dealt with."

A point in limine is a preliminary legal objection. It must be decided before a case can be heard on its merits.

The reply gives no date for the ruling. It gives no date for the new hearing. It does not say who the new chairperson will be.

In a separate reply, ANC MP Altia Sthembile Hlongo asked: "In light of the continued lack of clarity regarding the delay in finalising the investigation into the issues that led to the suspension of a certain person (name and details furnished), what (a) total amount has been spent on the suspension of the specified person to date and (b) measures have been taken to hold those responsible for misconduct accountable and prevent further wastage of public funds?"

De Lille replied: "The full amount that has been spent on the matter of the suspended Chief Executive Officer to date is as follows: Salary as legislated during a precautionary suspension R3,642,784.74 (August 2025 – September 2026). Interim CEO Salary (June 2026 – September 2026) R751,165.89. Total Legal Fees R1,786,628.07. Total R6,180,587.70."

On accountability, the minister said only: "The matter of the suspended Chief Executive Officer remains open."

She did not say what has been done to hold anyone accountable or to stop the losses.

The bill keeps growing. In June, De Lille said Guliwe had been paid R2.31 million in full pay and benefits from August 2025 to April 2026. By September that had risen to R3.64 million. That is another R1.33 million in five months.

Taxpayers are also paying an interim CEO to do her job, and the lawyers. The process has gone in circles.

In June, De Lille told Mashabela that Guliwe's disciplinary hearing had concluded at the beginning of May. She said: "The CEO has lodged a notice of intention to appeal the outcome."

In July, she told DA MP Haseena Ismail: "The matter is still with the South African Tourism Board. I wrote to the Board Chairperson to request a formal report on the outcome of the matter. I am awaiting his written response."

In August, De Lille told the portfolio committee that the interim board had completed the disciplinary process and sent her several options. She said she sent her decision back, but the interim board could not finalise the matter.

In September, IFP MP Noma Buthelezi asked whether the board's report had arrived. De Lille said it had not, and declined to give details, citing confidentiality.

Now, after an appeal, the case has been sent back to a new chairperson. In August, Ismail said Guliwe had been "suspended on full pay, draining taxpayer money, for far too long."

The previous SA Tourism board suspended Guliwe on 13 August 2025.

The case centres on a R4.18 million advance payment made in July 2021 to WWP Group for Dubai Expo work. Guliwe was SA Tourism's chief financial officer at the time.

The Auditor-General flagged the payment as a material irregularity. A forensic investigation by Ngubane found it was made without contractual provision. It could not confirm that SA Tourism received any value for the money. The report recommended consequence management against Guliwe and recovery of the funds.

WWP Group has denied that it was paid for work it did not do. The board also cited Guliwe's suspension of senior staff who had lodged grievances against her. A week later, De Lille dissolved the board. She said it had acted unlawfully because it had no chairperson. Guliwe stayed suspended.

De Lille has denied protecting Guliwe. Since then, SA Tourism has gone through three acting or interim CEOs: Darryl Erasmus, Dr Shamilla Chettiar and Sechaba Motsieloa. The cost of Erasmus's and Chettiar's acting stints is not included in the minister's figures.

A new 11-member board took office on 11 August 2026. It is the third board to handle Guliwe's case. The Special Investigating Unit is separately probing SA Tourism under Proclamation 297 of 2025. The minister's figures do not add up. The three amounts total R6,180,578.70, not the R6,180,587.70 given in the reply.

Africa Daily has sent questions to De Lille's office. Their response will be added once received.