Knysna Tourism Budget Cut
Big news the past week was Knysna Tourism getting their budget limited (the contribution of taxpayer’s money from Knysna Municipality). I haven’t verified the amount but heard that it was half a million rand, approximately 13% less than last year. That percentage would drop to approximately 7% in view of their income from all sources.
I believe 100% in the importance of tourism to our town but have no faith in the people who run it so consider the budget cut a step in the right direction. I’d possibly have a different opinion if the Knysna Tourism Board (Mark Dixon etc.), CEO Shaun van Eck and Nicci Rousseau-Schmidt (Oyster Festival Manager and Knysna PR) chose to be honest by revealing exactly who has received funding the past 4 years. Instead, the horrible reality is that they have hidden such from its members and the public. It’s also an obvious problem that past budgets have not respected all races in Knysna.
All too often, lack of transparency results in cronyism and corruption. If you have nothing to hide, why hide?
hear hear! The budget cut is long overdue. There is absolutely no transparency in the tourism board and they are using public money to market their own businesses.
Knysna Tourism is shocking, a sad example of what’s wrong not only in Knysna but in South Africa. Unfortunately, Shaun van Eck and the Tourism Board don’t believe in honesty and democracy. That they illegally hide who is getting what with taxpayer’s money is a stain on this town. The next annual AGM is this month. It will be a continued disappointment if Tourism’s members sit like sheep again. They should, instead, be demanding answers.