She was speaking during the promotion of township tourism and economy ceremony at the Nkowankowa Community Hall recently.

She presented five accommodation establishments owned by women with Covid-19 related safety equipment as part of the tourism recovery plan.

She encouraged the tourism sector in the province to be Covid-19 compliant in light of the the influx of both domestic and international guests expected to grace the Limpopo over Easter.

The five businesses which were fortunate to receive packages are Ka Hina Guest House in Nkowankowa, Bosveld Guest House in Lephalale, Makgabeng Farm Lodge in Blouberg, Mohlaletse Guest House in Sekhukhune and The Big Tree Country Lodge in Vhembe.

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“We will have to live with sanitisers for a very long time.

“We have to make sure that we comply to protect the integrity of our industry as we don’t want tourists to get sick in South Africa,” she explained.

The minister also outlined the Tourism Equity Fund, which aims to grow rural transformation.

The grant of up to R20 million will be awarded to establishments which has 51% women’s shareholding ownership.

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Kubayi-Ngubane was accompanied by the MEC for Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Thabo Mokone; the acting CEO for Limpopo Tourism Agency, Sello Maleka; Tzaneen mayor, Maripe Mangena and Princess Nkakasana Muhlaba from the Nkuna Tribal Authority and many more.

MEC Mokone gave the minister a tour of the Nkowankowa Industrial Park, which is in the process of being revamped. In 2019 the Department of Trade and Industry officially launched the first phase of the upgrading of the park for R40 million.

The minister and her entourage visited Miya Roofing Enterprise and Komkor factories in the park.