The minister of tourism Mr Dereck Hanekom congradulated nominees and winners of the second annual Lilizela awards held on October 9 at the Lyric Theatre in the Gold Reef City, Johannesburg.
“I congratulate every one of you for being nominated for these awards. We should applaud the fact that already, together, we have created an industry that makes destination South Africa a winner in a highly competitive global market. You are all co-creators of our success story,”he said before announcing the overall winner Msimang Mavuso whom he described as someone who consistently moves the industry closer to achieving its 2020 vision of building a tourism sector that truly transforms the lives of people.
“The winner is a son of our soil. He continues to make his mark in our industry, in our country, and in our hearts. He is well-respected, someone I appreciate as a colleague and a friend. He is an inspiration to those of us who know him,” said Hanekom.
He added that the tourism industry had benefitted immensely from Msimang’s vast experience and wisdom as well as his dedication to transformation, and his unshakeable passion to create a South Africa that works for all.
“Through his leadership, SA Tourism, South African National Parks, the State Information Technology Agency and the Department of Home Affairs became the organisations that they are today,” he said. He added that the entire country is grateful for Msimang’s leadership. “You will always be an inspiration to those who have worked with you, and to those who will come after you, thank you for your effort, your perseverance, and your diligence,” said Hanekom.
Facts about Msimang are as follows:
As Director-General of the department of Home Affairs, Mr Msimang redefined the quality of customer service that people could expect and turnaround times for processing documents, passports and birth certificates were improved.
At the State IT Agency, SITA, he collaborated with the private sector to centralise the management of all government’s IT operations, a complex task that required innovation at every step of the way.
When he led SANParks, he initiated the concept of a triple bottom line, and this enabled SANParks to measure and report on financial, social and environmental aspects of its work.
As CEO of SA Tourism, Mr Msimang laid the foundation that turned the industry’s marketing arm into the powerhouse that it is today.
As the current Chair of the Tourism Business Council, he continues to bring private and public sector interests together, building the tourism industry into one that will take the entire country forward.
But it was not only organisations that he transformed. Mr Msimang helped to change the lives of people throughout the nation.
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