In a testimony before the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development, Environment, Conservation, and Tourism in the North West Provincial Legislature, former board members of the North West Parks and Tourism Board have described an entity in crisis. Their accounts reveal alarming fiscal mismanagement, exacerbated by ineffective leadership that has left the organisation reliant on government bailouts amid ongoing operational challenges.
The session unfolded in a contentious atmosphere as former Board Chairperson Tshidi Mogale and her colleagues voiced their frustrations regarding the entity’s financial state. Mogale emphasised a crucial decision-making juncture where, despite the urgent need for employee salary payments, the board found itself diverting funds towards lavish events, such as a provincial extravaganza known as Mahika Mafiheng.
“In the R45 million, I will be able to pay salaries for December and January and March up until the end of the financial year; however, I am a bit challenged,” Mogale lamented. “We were instructed from the department side to fund the marketing of Mahika Mahikeng, with assurances of reimbursement. However, we faced cashflow issues, and were told to pay from our R45 million budget, while only promised R7 million in return.”
This troubling prioritisation has spurred frustration among employees, culminating in recent strikes demanding timely salary payments and wage increments. The strike further illustrates the growing unrest within an entity struggling to maintain both operational integrity and employee morale.
The response from the Portfolio Committee was one of disbelief, with members expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of comprehensive evidence to back the board’s claims. Democratic Alliance representative Johanna Steenkamp stated, “I am disappointed. We do not have evidence or reports. Nothing was done to comply with the summons. We were hoping for answers regarding finances, but unfortunately, it was really vague.”
The ongoing plight of the North West Parks and Tourism Board raises critical questions regarding the governance and future sustainability of such pivotal organisations within South Africa’s environmental and tourism sectors.