The incompetent Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) is failing to leverage opportunities in the tourism industry to create much-needed jobs. According to the Auditor-General, GTA only created 787 jobs compared to the target of 3500, a pathetic 22.5% achievement, which would not even be a pass in high school.
While Premier Panyaza Lesufi and his MEC for Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, are quick to declare great benefits from tourism, this government is not doing the work to realize these benefits. Late last year Maile said there would be 10 000 jobs. In his State of the Province Address (SOPA) in February, Lesufi said 60 000. The GTA’s target is nowhere near these figures, exposing the delusions of Lesufi and Maile and their failure to take job creation seriously.
The DA says tourism and job creation do not happen because a politician says it must happen. It takes proper planning, proper incentives and proper engagement. The Western Cape has shown the way in this regard. For example, they prioritise infrastructure investment that improves tourist experience via a Tourism Growth Fund. In so doing, they gain more visitors through repeat visitors and recommendations through word-of-mouth. The figures speak for themselves- the number of arrivals at Cape Town exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 2023 with a further increase the following year, while at O R Tambo International Airport arrivals in 2024 were still below 2019’s numbers. This is important because a new job is created with the arrival of every six new air travel tourists.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government would require its tourism agency to concentrate on partnerships with private stakeholders in the tourism industry. A growth fund for infrastructure and other resources will be established, especially those that improve our product offering. Moreover, there will be a strong focus on combatting crime, which remains the greatest inhibiting factor limiting growth in the tourism sector in Gauteng.