Trevor Noah faces backlash over reported R33m SA tourism payout

A deal that would result in South African comedian Trevor Noah earning R33million for a five-minute long video promoting tourism in South Africa has come under sharp criticism, with some expressing the belief that the deal is a slap in the face of the country’s poor.

The Tourism Business Council of South Africa has been in talks with Noah and other personalities to collaborate with them on campaigns that will create a wider presence for South Africa as a destination in international markets.

This is in line with the sector’s ambition to grow tourism arrivals in the country to 15.6 million over the next decade.

The chairperson of South African Parliament’s tourism committee, Tandi Mahambehlala revealed to News24 that they had found it questionable how Noah was due for such a huge payout from the deal.

On social media, some questioned why a relatively wealthy Noah was earning such a large sum of money when South Africans were facing problems such as record unemployment and load shedding.

Tourism Business Council of South Africa CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa rejected allegations that the comedian would be paid from government coffers.

“I am the owner of the project and it has nothing to do with government or portfolio committee. If we do the project, it will be a private sector initiative and we don’t report to government or Parliament,” he said.

However, a whistleblower had informed the Parliamentary committee that public funds were indeed involved, an allegation that was denied by Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille.

“I am not mocking anyone. Anything that a whistleblower says must be looked at further or investigated. In this instance, I can tell you that the whistleblower did not give you the full story.

“It was on 21 July that I made the comment. The whistleblower did not tell you that I informed everybody that this was done by the private sector.

“I can tell you that in my last engagement, when I met with the chair of the tourism council… if you want anything on the matter with Trevor Noah, please contact them.”