The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) has formally advertised for a new chief executive officer, months after former boss Mduduzi Vilakazi quit in the middle of a disciplinary process that followed a damning forensic probe.
The external advertisement marks a decisive attempt to stabilise an agency that has spent much of the past year under a cloud of leadership turmoil, governance concerns, and stalled investment plans.
Vilakazi’s resignation, reported by Sunday World at the height of a disciplinary showdown, left the agency without permanent leadership at a time when Mpumalanga’s tourism economy was expected to rebound strongly post-pandemic.
As the recruitment process begins, tourism practitioners have cautioned that simply filling the vacancy will not be enough.
Oupa Pilane, a veteran tourism practitioner and co-founder of the Graskop Gorge Lift Company, said the next CEO must be chosen on the basis of investment competence rather than bureaucratic seniority.
“For years, I’ve watched as MTPA’s management has faltered, leading to neglected attractions, poorly maintained infrastructure, and missed opportunities for job creation,” Pilane said.
Investor confidence eroded
He warned that weak leadership had steadily eroded investor confidence in sites managed by the agency, including along the Panorama Route and at the Blyde River Canyon.
“We’ve seen entry fee hikes without corresponding improvements. That alienates visitors and local businesses. It’s not just poor management; it’s a betrayal of tourism as an economic lifeline,” he said.
Pilane argued that Mpumalanga’s natural assets, from the Panorama Route to the Kruger National Park, remain globally competitive but are being held back by what he described as “a lack of investment intelligence” at the agency.
“A competent CEO must understand public-private partnerships and how to unlock private capital. Tourism today is about ecosystems, not gatekeeping,” he said, pointing to Graskop Gorge as an example of how innovative funding models can turn natural attractions into revenue-generating assets.
Pilane, who also serves as a special attaché of the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism, said Mpumalanga’s high youth unemployment could be eased if MTPA operated like a growth-oriented enterprise.
The provincial government has not yet indicated when a permanent appointment will be made, but the advert signals mounting pressure for a reset at an agency whose leadership crisis has mirrored the broader struggle between potential and performance.
