South Africa: Tourism Ministry Blasted Over Proposed Spurs Sponsorship

South Africa’s tourism ministry has denied reports suggesting it planned to sponsor Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has distanced herself from the reported R1 billion deal amid widespread outrage.

A report by Daily Maverick revealing that South Africa was planning to sign a R1 billion sponsorship package for Spurs triggered a wave of outrage on social media as well as from opposition political parties.

Citing documents seen by the publication, the report claimed the government, via its marketing agency SA Tourism, was preparing a proposal to sponsor the Premier League outfit for three years.

Daily Maverick cited sources as informing them Sisulu was keen for the deal to sail through before President Cyril Ramaphosa reshuffles the cabinet.

Plans were that the sponsorship was set to be announced by Ramaphosa during the State of the Nation Address on 10 February.

The deal with Spurs was earmarked to promote South Africa as a leading tourist destination the way Rwanda partnered with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain or Abu Dhabi’s sponsorship of Manchester City.

But the tourism ministry disputed everything, saying Sisulu is yet to be furnished by SA Tourism, with details about the proposed sponsorship deal.

“This reported deal is purely an SAT [SA Tourism] board matter on which Minister Sisulu has not been formally briefed by the board,” the tourism ministry said in a statement.

“Like any other board, the SAT board is independent and Minister Sisulu does not interfere with its decisions. Essentially, the SAT proposal is to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.”

South Africans are irked by the proposed sponsorship of Spurs, some saying it was a misplaced priority for a country facing a myriad of economic and social challenges.

Opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, described the plan as “lunacy” and “a slap in the face of every South African whose hard-earned tax will be used to sponsor a first-world football team”.