It was recently reported that comedian and TV host Trevor Noah would be receiving a whooping R33 million to promote South Africa as a tourism destination. In a media statement, Parliament's tourism committee chairperson Tandi Mahambehlala questioned Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille about Trevor being paid R33 million for a five-minute promotional video advert.

The government, however, denied any involvement. Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhenga admitted that,"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 the government or Parliament." De Lille informed the media that the costs would be paid by the TBCSA and that no government money or taxes would be spent on the promotion.

ZERO-KNOWLEDGE

Trevor has also addressed the matter and laughed it off. Speaking to Carol Ofori on East Coast Radio, he said he knew nothing about it and was not approached by the tourism department. "First of all, there is nothing with SA Tourism. No one from SA Tourism approached me; there's nothing from the government. I was talking to hotel groups, because you know South Africa, we need to boost our tourism," he said. "(It is) one of the most important sources of our GDP and so I was just talking to these guys, who own hotels, Air BnBs, game lodges and safaris, about how we can promote South Africa to the world," Trevor says adding, "I wish I had all this money that these people gave me in the newspapers."