JOHANNESBURG, 27 DECEMBER 2022 – SATSA, the voice of inbound tourism, has thrown its weight behind the statement issued by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), vehemently condemning the reported racist attack against guests at Maselspoort Resort on Christmas Day.
This follows the circulating of a video on social media showing a group of black teenagers being attacked by white adults at a swimming pool at the Free State resort. The police are currently investigating a case of assault.
“We all have an acute responsibility to uphold the rights held sacred in our Constitution and create business cultures that unequivocally reject and condemn racist behaviour of any kind,” says SATSA co-chair Oupa Pilane.
Through the association’s Access, Inclusivity and Diversity (AID) initiative and its Code of Conduct, SATSA supports and actively promotes equality and the deconstruction of racist policies and practices within the tourism sector ensuring that it is one that celebrates diversity, equality and inclusivity – and is indeed one that welcomes guests of all races, age, gender, religious beliefs and sexual orientation.
“This kind of incident undermines the efforts of South Africans who are working daily to promote cultural diversity, sensitisation and reconciliation. We cannot allow this kind of abhorrent behaviour to go unpunished and trust that the police will expedite their investigations to ascertain the full facts and prosecute accordingly.
“Further let this be a warning to stakeholders in the tourism sector to remain vigilant always. As tourism professionals and establishments, we are the first line of protection for South Africa’s brand and must always demonstrate an exemplary vision of the Rainbow nation,” Pilane concludes.
Ends
About SATSA
For the past 50 years SATSA has been known as the voice of inbound tourism in Southern Africa. SATSA is a non-profit, member-driven association representing over 1,300 companies in all facets of the region’s inbound travel sector.
SATSA members offer a wide range of products and services. The appearance of the SATSA logo is a sign of our members’ quality and commitment to service excellence and it offers peace of mind and recourse for consumers.
Issued by Big Ambitions Marketing PTY Ltd.
Natalia Rosa
Email: natalia@bigambitions.co.za
Tel: 083 449 4334