Sithembile Ndaba brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and communications, with expertise spanning brand strategy, global positioning, and reputation management.
Image: Supplied
South African Tourism (SA Tourism) has announced two senior executive appointments aimed at bolstering its leadership capacity and sharpening its global competitiveness as the country seeks to grow its tourism sector.
The appointments come at a critical time for South Africa’s tourism sector, which is working to rebuild momentum and attract international visitors in an increasingly competitive global market. They also come as the SA Tourism CEO, Nombulelo Guliwe, remains suspended over allegations of financial misconduct.
SA Tourism on Wednesday confirmed that Sithembile Ndaba will take up the role of chief marketing officer (CMO) from April 1, 2026, while Ismail Dockrat has been appointed chief operating officer (COO), effective May 1, 2026.
The appointments complete SA Tourism’s executive leadership team, following earlier hires of a chief financial officer, chief audit executive, and chief convention bureau officer over the past few months.
The organisation said the fully constituted leadership team positions it to better deliver on its mandate of marketing South Africa as a leading global tourism destination.
Ndaba brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and communications, with expertise spanning brand strategy, global positioning, and reputation management. Her career includes senior roles across both public and private sectors, including multinational companies such as Pioneer Foods, Tiger Brands, and Unilever.
She joins SA Tourism from Brand South Africa, where she served as general manager for marketing and also held acting executive roles. During her tenure, she played a key role in shaping South Africa’s national brand and enhancing its global reputation, representing the country on international platforms including the World Economic Forum and BRICS engagements.
Speaking on her appointment, Ndaba said she looks forward to collaborating with stakeholders to strengthen the country’s tourism brand and unlock new opportunities.
"Every new role is an opportunity to reimagine what’s possible. I step into this role with gratitude, clarity of purpose, and a deep commitment to building with others, because the best journeys are never walked alone," Ndaba said.
Ismail Dockrat, meanwhile, brings over 25 years of leadership experience across sectors such as aviation, aerospace manufacturing, logistics, and trade promotion.
Image: Supplied
Dockrat, meanwhile, brings over 25 years of leadership experience across sectors such as aviation, aerospace manufacturing, logistics, and trade promotion. His career includes senior roles at institutions such as the CSIR, Armscor, Denel, and Wesgro.
An engineer with an MBA from the University of Cape Town, Dockrat is recognised for driving organisational turnarounds, strengthening governance frameworks, and leading digital transformation initiatives.
Dockrat said he is committed to enhancing operational efficiency and showcasing South Africa as a world-class tourism destination.
"I believe South Africa shines as one of the world’s top destinations, offering unparalleled adventures and cultural richness," he said.
"I look forward to driving operational excellence and innovation, working closely with our teams and partners, to showcase our nation’s unmatched beauty and spirit, inspiring travellers from every corner of the globe."
Commenting on the appointments, acting CEO Shamilla Chettiar said the strengthened executive team is well positioned to drive transformation and elevate the country’s tourism offering on the global stage.
"With the appointments of Sithembile and Ismail, South African Tourism now has a full executive leadership team," Chettiar said.
"This formidable executive team is well-positioned to drive organisational excellence, transformation within South African Tourism, and global elevation of South Africa’s tourism brand. I have every confidence that the combined expertise and leadership of this team will drive tourism to new heights and create meaningful impact for all our stakeholders."
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