Tourist guides appreciate that they have been acknowledged and will receive financial relief from the government, but their growing concern is when the payment will be made.

Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, said on May 30 that R30 million (€1.5m) had been earmarked to provide relief and support for tourist guides registered with the National Registrar of Tourist Guides (in terms of the Tourism Act).

The National Department of Tourism (NDT) announced on June 6 that all freelance tourist guides that met the requirements would receive payment relief of R1 500 (€79) per month for three months by using the same cellphone number that was provided on their registration form to the respective provincial registrars.

“It is important that all cellphone numbers are correct, as payments to freelance guides will be made via e-wallet in order to expedite the payment process and minimise transaction charges on the grant recipients,” said the NDT.

Registered tourist guide, Leon Breytenbach, told Tourism Update that he was concerned that the payment might be delayed. “To date, almost a month later, there seems to be no further communication with progress of implementation. NDT indicated that freelancers were not to initiate the application, as they would contact us instead,” he said.

“We freelancers are on our knees financially, and yet a deafening silence prevails from the NDT. The NDT will need to obtain banking details from us. This could add considerably to further process delays.”

The National Federation of Tourist Guides and Affiliates Spokesperson, Francois Collin, told Tourism Update that it had been a slow process, with provincial registrars updating databases with guide numbers and their contact details.

“All provinces have submitted an updated database to the National Registrar and once all that information has been received it will be sent to the Department of Labour to verify against UIF payments,” he said.

“They need to also check with Home Affairs and, if I have to guess, it is to check that the guides are either South African citizens, or permeant residents, or legal non-South African residents with a work visa, authorising them to work as tourist guides.”

Collin said once those verifications were done, NDT would be authorised to pay out the funds. “Unfortunately I have nothing in writing from NDT as to when the payments will commence.”