SA Tourism CEO Sisa Ntshona is leaving the organisation at the end of May. According to News24, Sisa is making his way back to the private sector starting the 1st of July.
One of the functions of SA Tourism is to promotes both foreign and domestic tourism in SA.
Sisa’s departure comes four months earlier than the end of his five-year term on September 30.
He previously indicated to the SA Tourism board that he would not be reapplying for the position.
Ntshona helped to steer the tourism industry through the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
He joined as CEO in October 2016 for a five-year term and was placed on precautionary suspension on full pay for about nine months in 2019 while investigations took place into undisclosed allegations made against him. He was cleared of all the wrong doing and immediately resumed his duties in December that year.
The board had accepted Ntshona’s request to leave his position.
“Sisa recently approached the board for an earlier exit as he was presented with a new career opportunity that required him to start much sooner than anticipated,” said SA Tourism Board chair Siyabonga Dube.
“The board discussed this and agreed to the request, and although it is sad to see him leave the organisation, we also appreciate Sisa’s honesty and transparency and we wish him well in his future endeavours,” Dube said.
Ntshona said in a media statement that his four-and-a-half years at SA Tourism were a career highlight for him. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at SA Tourism,” said Ntshona.
“I’ve met and worked with amazing people in an industry that contributes in so many ways to the financial wellbeing of South Africans and proud to have played a part in the growth of the industry, notwithstanding the challenges we currently face through the Covid-19.”
Prior joining SA Tourism, Ntshona spend 14 years in banking sector.
The SA Tourism Board is on the process to appoint the new CEO.
“The recruitment process to appoint a new CEO began in February this year and over the last few weeks we have interviewed highly respected individuals who we believe can lead the organisation during these challenging times for the industry,” Dube stated.
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