Trevor Noah's R33m for tourism ad 'not taxpayer money'
A reported R33 million apparently being paid to comedian Trevor Noah to appear in a video to promote South Africa won't be footed by the taxpayer.
That's according to the chairperson of Parliament’s tourism committee.
Tandi Mahambehlala says she raised the issue with Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, telling her South Africans cannot be expected to pay millions for Noah’s appearance in a 5-minute promotional video.
The advert is part of a worldwide push to attract more tourists to the country.
Mahambehlala says De Lille has denied that the money will come from the taxpayer.
She says the minister clarified the R33 million is a contribution from the Tourism Business Council of Southern Africa.
But Mahambehlala says the committee would like the deal to be cancelled.
She's likened it to the recent controversial Tourism SA/Tottenham Hotspur marketing strategy that was scrapped following an uproar.
It comes as Noah is due to perform two comedy shows in Durban this weekend.
