Background to the TECSAThe Tourism Empowerment Council is established as a key mechanism to drive the implementation of the Tourism Charter. Back to Top
Legislative and Context FrameworkThe Tourism BEE Charter Council has been established taking into consideration the legislative framework surrounding national and sectoral charter councils, as well as the legislative framework surrounding black economic empowerment in general. The following relevant legislation and documentation have been considered: The Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, No 53 of 2003 (The BEE Act) The Draft Codes of Good Practice, which have been considered in their entirety with particular reference made to the following statements in Code 000: Statement 010 - Guidelines for the developing and gazetting of transformation charters. The BEE Act legally provides for the establishment of the Black Economic Empowerment Advisory Council (BEE Advisory Council) and outlines principles and guidelines for its establishment. This is a national body, chaired by the President and consisting of the Minister of Trade and Industry, three cabinet ministers and five to ten other members. Statement 010 of the draft Codes of Good Practice, deals explicitly with the establishment of industry Charter Councils, such as the envisaged Tourism Charter Council. As per Statement 010, it is recommended that Charter Councils report to the Minister of Trade and Industry and to the BEE Advisory Council on the industry's progress with respect to the industry Charter.
For the establishment of the Tourism Empowerment Council, both the legislation and regulations surrounding the establishment of the BEE Advisory Council as well as the regulatory guidelines surrounding the establishment of Charter Councils were taken into account. Back to Top Composition of TECSA's CouncilThe Tourism Empower Council consists of the following members, as appointed by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism: - Mr Tami Sokutu, Executive Director, African Bank, who will preside over the Council in his capacity as Chairperson of the Council;
- Mr Thabiso Tlelai, Chairperson, Tourism Business Council of South Africa;
- Mr Vusi Zwane, Private Consultant;
- Mr Helder Perreira, Managing Director, Southern Sun Hotel Group.
- Mr Frank Kilbourn, Executive Director, Bright Equity;
- Ms Anita Soni, Chief Executive Officer, ASA Tourism Services;
- Mr Dennis George, National Training Officer, Fedusa;
- Ms Gillian McMahon, Commercial Executive, Bid Travel;
- Ms Sindiswa Nhlumayo, Deputy Director General, DEAT;
- Mr Jeffrey Ndumo, Director: Black Economic Empowerment, dti;
- Ms Patience Mokhadi, Head of Department, Northern Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism;
- Ms Didi Moyle, Chief Operations Officer, South African Tourism;
- Mr Eddie Khosa, CEO, Magelevendze Investments
Back to Top Creation of the CouncilThe Minister appointed Tourism Charter Council members against the following criteria: - appropriate expertise and/or understanding of the tourism industry;
- representatives of the broader tourism industry
- The Minister appointed members of the Council based on the following expertise and/ experience:
- senior executives in the areas they represent
- strong stakeholder relations experience
- influential in their respective fields
- experience in developing and implementing strategies at senior level
- practical and/or high level experience with respect to implementing broad-based BEE.
The Minister took into account the following when appointing the Chairperson of the Tourism Empowerment Council: - no vested interest in the Council, its mandate or any of its initiatives
- proven track in the promotion of empowerment in South Africa
- sufficient influence among banks and other funding institutions to enable him/her to access funding for any sector specific initiatives which the Charter council may seek to implement to advance the principles of broad-based BEE in tourism
- sufficient influence and leverage within the tourism industry as well as within the wider corporate and business communities and government.
Back to Top Termination of MembershipA member of the Council ceases to be a member when: - s/he resigns
- s/he is an unrehabilitated insolvent;
- s/he has been removed from an office of trust on account of misconduct;
- s/he is absent from 3 consecutive meetings of the Council without the prior permission of the Council, except on good cause shown;
- the Minister, after consulting the Council, is of the view that the person is no longer a fit and proper person to be a member of the Council.
The Council is accountable to the Minister and will report back to the Minister on a quarterly basis via the Chairperson, Mr Tami Sokutu. Back to Top Meetings- The Council will meet at least four times a year
- The Secretariat will decide where the Council will meet, based on recommendations from the Council members.
Back to Top Quorum and Decisions- A majority (50% plus one) of the members of the Council constitute a quorum for a meeting of the Council.
- The Council will endeavor to reach consensus in its decision making. Where this is not possible, a decision of the Council will be made by a majority of members present and voting at a meeting. All discussions will be in good faith and with unity of purpose.
Back to Top Rules and ProceduresThe Council may determine its own procedures subject to sound corporate governance principles as contained in the King II Report and Public Finance Management Act. Back to Top Mandate of the CouncilThe mandate of the Council as laid out in the Tourism Charter is reproduced below: - to facilitate the communication and popularisation of the charter and scorecard;
- to provide interpretation and guidance with respect to the Charter and Scorecard;
- to facilitate the provision of practical implementation support to the industry;
- to liaise with dti accredited agencies to monitor the Charter and Scorecard implementation;
- to facilitate the certification, by dti accredited agencies, of those entities complying with the Charter and Scorecard. In so doing, the Council will facilitate incentives for tourism enterprises to comply and become certified;
- to facilitate cross industry and government negotiation to promote the application and implementation of the Charter and Scorecard; and
- to compile an annual report on the Tourism Sector's progress in implementing the Charter and Scorecard.
In addition to the objectives laid out in the Charter, the Council's mandate will also include the following: - to develop the framework as well as capacity, for the implementation of the Tourism Charter;
- to facilitate implementation of programmes to fast-track broad based BEE in the Tourism Sector in order to ensure that there exists a favourable environment for broad-based BEE to flourish.
- to advise the Minister on BEE related legislative and regulatory developments.
Back to Top Administration and FinancesThere will be a Council Secretariat. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism will assume the function. The Council Secretariat is headed by Ms Sindiswa Nhlumayo. Back to Top Functions of the SecretariatThe functions of the Secretariat are to execute the mandate and responsibilities of the Council. It is proposed that the Secretariat be staffed with personnel who have relevant expertise to deliver on the mandate of the Council. Back to Top
Roles and Responsibilities of the SecretariatThe role and responsibilities of the Secretariat will be to see to the execution of the strategies devised by the Council in order to optimally implement the Tourism Charter. These will include, inter alia, - Interaction with the public sector to ensure that it delivers on the Tourism Charter
- Interaction with the private sector to ensure that through TBCSA and other organisations it delivers on, the Tourism Charter
- Implementing mechanisms to fast-track broad based BEE in tourism.
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Mandate of the SecretariatThe Secretariat will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the status and progress of broad-based BEE within the tourism sector, including the submission of research reports on the above-mentioned progress. The Secretariat will also be responsible for facilitating the implementation of the Tourism Charter, including: - Developing a database of potential funders
- Liaising with funders to support implementation of the ownership factor
- Mechanisms to fast track BEE
- Stakeholder management
- Communicating and popularising the Tourism Charter implementation process
- Monitoring and reporting on new or amended BEE related legislation and regulations
- Administrative functions which include drawing up agendas and minutes of the Council, coordinating and setting up Council meetings and submitting monthly status reports to the Council.
The Secretariat will also be responsible for assisting the Council in achieving the following three objectives: - Implementation of Council's mandate to ensure communication and popularisation of the Scorecard
- Providing guidance to tourism entities on sector specific matters affecting BEE. The Secretariat will among others implement electronic and telephonic mechanisms for responding to queries. Areas of concern or interest will be communicated to the Council in the form of a monthly status report. The Chairperson will place items of interest on the agenda of the next meeting to report to the Council to establish measures to be taken to address concerns and/or suggestions by industry
- The Secretariat will be responsible for liaison with the national monitoring mechanism and approved rating agencies and report back to the Council in this regard.
Back to Top Reporting on Tourism BEE Charter Progress with respect to Scorecard Targets MilestonesAs proposed by Statement 010 of the draft codes, the Council should report to the Minister of Trade and Industry as well as to the BEE Advisory Council on progress made by entities which fall under the ambit of the Tourism Charter. The Tourism Empowerment Council will also report directly to the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. Back to Top | |