Despite the claims of huge monetary benefits for the country, the proposed sponsorship deal between SA Tourism and Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur has officially been canned.
This is according to Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille.
The R900 million deal with the United Kingdom (UK)-based team was ferociously met with anger and backlash after details on the matter emerged almost two months ago, prompting three SA Tourism board members to resign.
ALSO READ: Here’s why 3 key SA Tourism board members resigned en masse over Hotspur deal
SA Tourism, which defended the deal claiming that it would get R88 million as return on investment over a three-year period, then decided to launch an investigation to find out who leaked the information of the deal to the media.
In a media briefing on Friday, de Lille said a legal opinion revealed that the deal was unlawful and invalid.
“Given the circumstances we find ourselves in economically we have to be much more careful and give consideration to everything that we do as government. Money must be spent wisely and prudently at all times as we are entrusted with public funds,” she said.
She also indicated that the deal has not been budgeted for and expenditure in that regard would be irregular.
This is a developing story
