Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille
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Under De Lille’s leadership, international and domestic tourism increased during the 2024–25 financial year, boosting South Africa’s economic and employment prospects. The department also maintained unqualified audit outcomes on financial and non-financial indicators.
She also successfully led South Africa’s tourism promotion at international events, including ITB Berlin 2025, raising the country’s profile and supporting small businesses’ participation in global markets. The minister however faced criticism over ongoing disputes with executives in South African Tourism, the marketing agency that promotes the country.
These began in 2024 with claims about the minister’s treatment of staff and this year, she dissolved the South African Tourism Board citing governance and procedural concerns, then appointed an interim board to stabilise operations — a notable shift in governance oversight.
Critics warned that the instability could hurt tourism growth. De Lille insisted that she acted constitutionally. Continued increases in domestic and international travel, coupled with the early rollout of the electronic travel authorisation visa, may help restore confidence and support job creation in the sector.