MBOMBELA – The newly appointed interim board for the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) boasts some political heavyweights and members with loads of experience in nature conservation.
Mr Eric Kholwane, MEC for economic development, announced the 11-member board on Monday. They will serve for six months until February 28, unless a new board is finalised before then. Kholwane added that tourism was one of the sectors that would help the province create 78 000 jobs per year to bring unemployment down to 16,4 per cent by 2019.
In June, the previous board was disbanded by the executive of the provincial government, for its “failure to focus and deliver on its mandates”. Newly appointed chairman of the interim board, Mr William Lubisi gave his assurance that it would do its best to move the agency forward.
“I have full confidence in the team the MEC has put together. I have no doubt in my mind that we will be able to turn the situation around.” Lubisi was speaker of provincial legislature for the past eight years. He is being deputised by Dr David Mabunda, former CEO of SANParks and former director of the Kruger National Park (KNP).
The other members are:
• Mr Christopher Lancester Gololo, who served as a member of parliament until earlier this year
• Mr Jabulani Eric Linda, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa’s provincial secretary
• Ms Tholakele Betty Nkambule, former regional manager at the KNP and currently the Ntobe Fire Control director
• Ms Helen Thrush chairs the IT committee of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, and until recently served on the interim board of the University of Mpumalanga
• Mr Thlou Keetse, the head of franchise and stakeholder relations at Old Mutual and also serves on the board of Black Management Forum Mpumalanga
• Ms Nomaswazi Rachel Shabangu is the deputy chairman of the Black Lawyers Association
• Ms Carole Chiloane, executive director of Kutlwano Investments and executive managing director of Mochiba Investments
• Dr Paul Lombard, managing director of Khanya Education Project
• Ms Tshepiso Sphiwesihle Masenya, managing director of TSL Global Consultants.
