The South African Tourism board has launched a forensic investigation into the whistle-blower who leaked the documents on the Tottenham Hotspur sleeve sponsorship deal.
This was after the National Assembly committee on tourism demanded the board put brakes on the deal on Tuesday.
The SAT said on Wednesday it wanted to know who was behind the leak.
It said the process to proceed with the Spurs deal of R1 billion was based on facts before them.
It added this was above board despite huge public outcry over the deal.
All processes had been followed before the information was leaked to the media.
“The SA Tourism Board has deliberated and resolved that a forensic investigation on the leaking of the SA Tourism Board discussions be conducted.
“The Board has noted the media reports on the issue of the Interim CFO, (Johan) van der Walt. It has been resolved that the matter be investigated.
“The SA Tourism board is committed to the speedy resolution of both these matters,” said the tourism board.
The allegations against Van der Walt related to his links with one of the agencies who are involved in the deal.
Last week, amid backlash over the proposed sponsorship deal - three SA Tourism board members announced their resignation from the board which had been established in October last year.
The members who resigned were Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen and Rosemary Anderson, who all tendered their resignations with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, the portfolio committee on tourism, which was chaired by Thandi Mahambehlala, stuck to its guns on Wednesday that the deal should be canned.
The committee said after the meeting with the board and tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu it felt there was no value for it.
It said it would conduct its own probe into the Tottenham Hotspur deal.
“The SAT appeared before the committee yesterday to brief the committee on the R1 billion deal.
“The committee told the minister and the SAT that there is no statistical basis for the claims that the Tottenham Hotspur deal will deliver the 21 million tourist arrivals in 2030 and other objectives.
“Furthermore, there is no way that R1 billion of South Africa’s money can be used to pay for an international programme when poverty is deepening in South Africa,” said the committee.
Sisulu said only President Ramaphosa could pull the plug on the deal.
Current Affairs