Themba Khumalo, the interim CEO of South African Tourism, has apologized to the public for his actions during a news conference on Thursday in Johannesburg. Khumalo was condemned for being conceited and overconfident during the conference, which he blamed to the insults he received online.
Khumalo expressed regret for “coming across in a manner that was arrogant and possibly very self-confident” at a meeting with the Parliament’s portfolio committee on tourism.
The committee was meeting to discuss the proposed R1 billion sponsorship agreement between South African Tourism and soccer team Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League. Tandi Mahambehlala, the committee’s chairperson, blasted Khumalo for treating South Africans with contempt and called his actions “an humiliating moment for us.”
The tourism minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, whose attendance at committee sessions has been ignored in the past, was also absent, which infuriated the lawmakers.
The committee also questioned the involvement of the chief financial officer, Johan van der Walt, in finalizing the sponsorship agreement in addition to Khumalo’s apology.
MPs are still unconvinced about the worth of the sponsorship despite Khumalo’s assurances that there was no middlemen in the transaction and that a board team traveled to the UK to negotiate the contract themselves.
The meeting goes on as the tourism committee presses for explanation on the proposed deal and the tourist minister’s frequent absences.
Although the acting CEO of South African Tourism’s public apology is a step in the right direction, it is unclear whether it would be sufficient to allay the MPs’ and the public’s worries.
