Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has announced the immediate dissolution of the South African Tourism Board, exercising her powers in terms of section 16(3)(a) of the Tourism Act. This decision also entails the removal of all members of the Board of South African Tourism under section 16(1) of the Act. The Minister informed the board members of her decision on Tuesday, 19 August 2025, after considering their written representations regarding the dissolution.

The primary reason cited for the dissolution was the board's failure to adequately address the legality of the procedure followed when it convened a special Board meeting on 01 August 2025. According to legal advice obtained by the Minister, this special Board meeting was convened unlawfully. Section 18(2) of the Tourism Act unequivocally empowers only the Board Chairperson to convene a special board meeting. This exclusive authority is further reinforced by clause 9.1.2 of the Board Charter, adopted on 16 April 2024.

A critical anomaly arose because Professor Gregory Davids, the Board Chairperson, had resigned just the day before, on 31 July 2025. Consequently, as of 01 August 2025, the board had no Chairperson to lawfully convene the special meeting. Despite this crucial absence, the board proceeded to convene the meeting, thereby acting unlawfully and ultra vires its statutory powers.

Minister De Lille had previously raised concerns regarding the board's adherence to governance procedures. In a meeting on 4 July and a subsequent letter dated 13 July 2025, she expressed worries that the board's failure to follow due process could undermine its integrity and render outcomes from such meetings procedurally invalid and unlawful. Although the board, in a letter dated 22 July 2025, assured the Minister that