Mpumalanga’s new economic development MEC, Jesta Sidell, has moved quickly to calm tensions after a fiery attack on the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) over missing toilet paper at tourist sites.
Southern Africa Tourism Services Association national chairperson Oupa Pilane accused the agency of spending R470-million of its R500-million annual budget on salaries, leaving little for facilities and attractions along the Panorama Route.
“People are clapping that MTPA gets clean audits,” he said.
Visitors compromised
“But it is easy to get a clean audit from just accounting for salaries. If you say you have an allocation to fix a toilet, and the toilet has not worked, I’m not asking you to build a skyscraper.”
Pilane said visitors to major attractions were forced to find their own toilet paper because “the supply of toilet paper is for them in their offices”.
“I’ve seen our numbers dropping. The tourist comes and pays at the site. But the tourist must then now, when trying to use your ablution facilities, find their own toilet paper,” he said.
“The supply of toilet paper is for them in their offices… I’m challenging anyone — everyone — to come with me. If they say I’m wrong, I’m challenging them to take a trip with me to the Parorama Route.”
He challenged the public to travel with him to see conditions first-hand.
“I’m challenging you to travel with me to the next travel indaba and see how many government officials are going to be there. And I’m making this plea because I do not want you to say I am lying.
“I am making this public challenge. I am challenging anyone who says I am wrong to say one two three is not true. And I will be man enough to apologise,” he said.
Mapping the way forward
Instead of an apology, Pilane and the tourism organisations he represents were invited to an “indaba” with Sidell, who was appointed to the portfolio last month.
On Monday, Sidell sat down with Pilane and his colleagues from the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism and the MTPA to “strengthen relations and foster collaboration”.
“I must indicate that we acknowledge the issues that have been raised. And also the challenges that are bedevilling our public entity, the MTPA,” she said.
“Hence we have decided to convene this very important meeting. To process the issues and find collective solutions to the challenges.”
Sidell said the talks focused on working with the private sector to reposition Mpumalanga as “the ultimate tourism destination” while driving a revitalisation strategy to grow the economy, create jobs and fight poverty.
“The meeting further reflected on the prevailing infrastructure challenges of the MTPA,” she said.
Inclusive turnaround strategy
“It resolved to implement a comprehensive, inclusive turnaround strategy. One in which the stakeholders also need to play their part in the identified challenges.”
Sidell stressed that stronger collaboration was essential to attracting tourists and fixing failing facilities. She said the MTPA assured stakeholders that interventions to restore and improve sites were already under way. This is done to ensure visitor experiences were not compromised.
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