Minister to fight tourism budget cuts

Covid-19 has pitted Cabinet ministers against each other as the politicians are fighting over who should get the lion’s share of national budget slice as funds get reprioritised for the pandemic.

The first to make the biggest noise is Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, who came out with guns blazing to oppose the cutting of her department’s budget.

According to Statistics South Africa’s annual Satellite Account for SA report, the tourism sector directly contributed almost 3% to SA gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016.

But that’s before the pandemic, which constrained most industry activities. Industry players recently told parliament about their fears of more job losses resulting from loss of profits by tourism operators, who were hardest hit by the pandemic.

The sector was expected to see its revenue going by at least 70%, with its jobs bloodbath continuing as many tour operators closed shop.

In a tweet yesterday, Kubayi-Ngubane, appeared annoyed that the tourism budget was going to be slashed. According to the minister, a combined budget for her department and its entity, SA Tourism, was almost R2.3 billion in 2021- 22 financial year.

“This indicates that we have been able to do more with little, hence perception that we have more money,” she said.

“We have been able to achieve a lot of work through partnership. Tourism, as one of the pillars of the economy, remains critical for economic recovery, which will contribute to more revenue and available funding.”

She also expressed support for the student strike for an end to financial exclusion at universities.

“I think we need to work together to find those solutions… I’m sympathetic to the plight of students,” read part of Kubayi-Ngubane’s tweet yesterday.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.