SA Tourism CFO Johan Van Der Walt Faces Suspension Over Tottenham Hotspur Deal, SA Applauds

• The acting CEO of SA Tourism, Johan Van Der Walt, is facing suspension over the controversial Tottenham Hotspur sponsorship deal
• Van der Walt was linked to an agency that would have made over R30 million for activating the deal
• The acting CEO still hasn't given the tourism board his reasons why the suspension should not be instituted

JOHANNESBURG - SA Tourism has issued a suspension notice to the national marketing agency's acting CFO, Johan Van Der Walt.

The CFO's head may be on the chopping block for failing to declare the links he had to WWP Group, which was set to make over R30 million from the controversial sponsorship deal with English football team Tottenham Hotspur.

Van der Walt denies standing to gain financially from Tottenham Hotspur deal

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After the lid was blown off the almost R1 billion Tottenham Hotspur deal, Van der Walt told Daily Maverick that he had no financial interest in the agency and had only done consulting work for it.

However, a preliminary investigation into the saga found that he should have declared his conflict of interest or recused himself from the meeting discussing the contentious deal, EWN reported.

SA Tourism CFO misses deadline to challenge suspension notice

According to SA Tourism board chairperson Thozamile Botha, Van der Walt was given until Tuesday, 14 February, to state his case as to why he should not be suspended.

Botha told TimeLIVE that the acting CFO had not contacted the tourism board over his suspension, as far as he knew. The chairperson added that the board must take action if no response is received.

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South Africans applaud SA Tourism for starting suspension proceedings against Van der Walt

South Africans have welcomed the suspension notice against the acting CFO and called for more heads to roll.

Below are some reactions:

@Poochxyz said:

"I hope the Tourism Minister also gets the boot."

@FailingJhb applauded:

"Keep it going. There are some more high-profile names we want to see suspended, fired and called to account for their behaviour in office."

@MartinGrahamPa1 demanded:

"Suspend, no - fire him and his minister."

@PaleisAce questioned:

"And the CEO? Preaches on..."

@NdabezithaVusi lauded:

"Consequences for corruption are a good sign for a country intentional about survival."

SA Tourism CEO Themba Khumalo apologises for “arrogant” statement, says he lashed out while under attack

In a related story, Briefly News reported that the acting CEO of SA Tourism, Themba Khumalo, apologised to the Tourism Portfolio Committee and the South African public for lashing out during a press conference on Thursday, 2 February.

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Khumalo addressed the leaked documents on the contentious almost R1 billion sponsorship deal with Tottenham Hotspur. The media briefly became heated when the acting CEO berated the press about the controversy.

The acting CEO said he lost his cool because he was under attack on social media and felt under pressure during the press conference, TimesLIVE reported.

Source: Briefly News