Rwanda’s Arsenal sponsorship tops SA’s reported Spurs plan

• Official denies minister is involved

The cost of a reported SA Tourism plan to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur could be higher than that of a similar deal between Rwanda and English Premier League arch-rivals Arsenal.

Daily Maverick reported on Wednesday that the government, through its marketing agency SA Tourism, is proposing a 36-month deal, believed to be a sleeve sponsorship, with Tottenham at a cost of £42.5m (R910m) over three years.

A spokesperson for tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu said that she was not involved in the proposal, and that it would need to pass muster in the ministry and would be subject to agreement with the Treasury to adhere to government rules.

On its website, Daily Maverick cited a PowerPoint presentation in its possession stamped with the logo of SA Tourism.

Quoting sources, Daily Maverick reported that Sisulu’s aim was to conclude the deal before President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impending cabinet reshuffle, in which he might remove her from the tourism portfolio. The SA Tourism presentation claims that expenditure of just less than R1bn for the sponsorship would yield a return of R6bn in tourism for SA.

Reports on the deal have sparked controversy, given the load-shedding and economic crises and crumbling sports infrastructure. The amount might also raise questions.

The Daily Maverick report says SA Tourism’s presentation encourages the country to follow in the footsteps of other destination management organisations promoting travel destinations. Examples cited are Abu Dhabi’s sponsorship of Manchester City, Malta and Manchester United, and Rwanda’s deal with Arsenal.

Reports are that Rwanda’s sleeve sponsorship with the Gunners, who are leading the Premier League in 2022/2023, was signed in 2021 at a value of £10m a year for four years. Gunners are a bigger team than London neighbours Spurs and a more recognisable global brand.

The cost of SA’s three-year deal with Tottenham would work out at £14.2m a year.

Arsenal have won the English First Division/Premier League 13 times, including four titles since 1990, and the FA Cup 14 times. Spurs have won the Premier League twice, in 1950/1951 and 1960/1961, and the FA Cup eight times.

Mpumzi Zuzile, Sisulu’s spokesperson, disputed the contents of the Daily Maverick report. “Sadly, this article is riddled with inaccuracies and untruths aimed at tarnishing minister Sisulu’s image,” said Zuzile.

“There is no doubt the report seeks to drive a political agenda rather than to inform the public truthfully in line with journalism ethos. The report falsely claims minister Sisulu is forcing SA Tourism to push the deal through before she is moved from the tourism portfolio. This is a blatant lie. This reported deal is purely an SA Tourism board matter on which minister Sisulu has not been formally briefed.

“Like any other board, the SA Tourism board is independent, and minister Sisulu does not interfere with its decisions.

“Proposals are received by SA Tourism, and are processed by a project team, then are sent through to the executive committee before being presented to the SA Tourism board.

“In the portfolios minister Sisulu has served since the dawn of democracy, her contribution to government speaks for itself. Even Daily Maverick through its source indicates this proposal dates back to 2017, when minister Sisulu held a different portfolio. Essentially, the proposal is to conclude a memorandum of understanding with Tottenham Hotspur. It is nonbinding. Such a proposal must still pass muster within the tourism ministry and is subject to the concurrence of National Treasury to conform to government prescripts.

“Minister Sisulu is awaiting a report and to be briefed by the SA Tourism board as they are independent and take their own decisions on matters.

“It is mischievous to relate this to the imminent cabinet reshuffle.

“Minister Sisulu is in consultation with her legal team, and will communicate the way forward in due course.”

eNCA UK correspondent, Olly Barratt, tweeted on Wednesday that his “sources suggest an agreement should be confirmed within days”. Barratt told the TV news channel that “there is an acceptance among those close to the deal that this is going to be controversial in SA”.

“In terms of what SA would get for this reported amount [are] things like branding tie-ups, SA Tourism and SA being mentioned in social media posts by Spurs, something like the Rwanda deal with Arsenal of the sponsorship getting on shirts in some way too.

“It’s that kind of arrangement we’re looking at, which I’m being told is very close to being agreed and announced.”

Contacted for comment, SA Tourism said that it was preparing a statement, but this had not been received at the time of publication.

SADLY, THIS ARTICLE IS RIDDLED WITH INACCURACIES AND UNTRUTHS AIMED AT TARNISHING MINISTER SISULU’S IMAGE