ActionSA Slams SA Tourism’s Planned R1b Deal With UK Football Club

• ActionSA isn't happy about SA Tourism's plan to cough up R1bn to English football team Tottenham Hotspur
• Party leader Herman Mashaba said the proposed sponsorship deal was another example of the ANC's greed
• Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu rubbished the claims that she was trying to get the deal pushed through before she was reshuffled

JOHANNESBURG - ActionSA is the latest political party to speak out against SA Tourism's controversial proposal for a R1bn sponsorship deal with UK football team Tottenham Hotspur.

The party rejected the deal, claiming that it was nothing more than an expensive PR campaign with questionable benefits.

Daily Maverick first blew the top off of the deal on Wednesday, 1 February, claiming that the tourism board was planning to finalise the sponsorship, which would cost R1bn of taxpayer money over three years.

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The publication also claimed that Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu was in a hurry to have the deal pushed through before she was reshuffled in the cabinet.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba took aim at the African National Congress, claiming the deal was yet another example of the party's obsession with self-enrichment.

Mahaba added that the allegations about Sisulu's urgency for the proposal to be approved signalled more nefarious motives for the deal, TimesLIVE reported.

Regarding the allegations against her, Minister Sisulu rubbished them, claiming the Daily Mavericks report was filled with inaccuracies and untruths aimed at ruining her reputation.

Sisulu posted a media statement on Twitter, and in it, her office claimed that the rumour she was pushing the deal through was a blatant lie.

The Ministry of Tourism added that Sisulu still hadn't been briefed on the SA tourism's proposed deal and was still awaiting a report on it.

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South Africans weigh in on the R1bn sponsorship deal controversy

@BathandwaMki claimed:

"This is a good deal that could potentially revive the Tourism industry. But we should know about the prospective returns from this investment. Make them public. @LindiweSisuluSA"

Garnet Nhlapo wandered:

"God forbid what is inside the brains of these people. How will you attract tourists when you can't provide the country with electricity the way it's supposed to be."

Lutando Shirley Layzo added:

"Action SA is right, it's questionable, especially at a time like this. We have so many problems in SA we need every cent that can help."

Sibusiso Fawuli said:

"The department must proceed, we never voted for Action SA. Please advertise our country and uplift tourism."

Khuliso Musweswe commented:

"Action SA cannot reject the proposal since their not part of the government."

Mphilisi Bhede said:

"I think the proposal come at the wrong time we still have a lot problem of load shedding."

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In another story, Briefly News reported The Minster of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu was not impressed with claims that expelled ANC member Carl Niehaus was recruiting the tourism minister to join his NPO, the Radical Economic Transformation Movement (Retmo).

Sisulu did not mince her words when she made her dissatisfaction clear in a spicy tweet. The tourism minister wrote:

"Agenda-driven reporting of this nature must never be allowed to flourish. I will not allow my name to be used to spread [rumours] and untruths."

Source: Briefly News