Remarks by Premier Mandla Ndlovu at the G20 Tourism Minister's meeting

Chairperson of the Session
Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa, Hon Patricia de Lille,
Secretary of UN-Tourism Mr Zurab Pololikashvili
Distinguished Ministers, Deputy Ministers and all G20 Member states and Invited Guests Countries,
Distinguished Ambassadors,
MECs Present,
Executive Mayors,
DGs, DDGs and All Government Officials,
Representative of International Organisations,
Representatives of Academic Institutions,
Heads of Delegation,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen

1. It is a tremendous honour for me to be here today. I appreciate the invitation that I received from the Minister of Tourism Hon Patricia de Lille. There is one minister who did not invite me to his G20 ministerial meeting, maybe he assumed I will always be there.
2. I am honoured to be afforded such an opportunity to welcome you in this historic gathering of the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting on behalf of the Government, the entire population of the beautiful province of Mpumalanga, the Place of the Rising Sun and the beloved Republic of South Africa.
3. Mpumalanga Province is more than just a province on the map. It is a living mosaic of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and human resilience. It is home to iconic destinations that have earned their place in the world’s imagination, from the world-renowned Kruger National Park, home of Africa’s Big Five, to the dramatic cliffs of the Blyde River Canyon, one of the largest green canyons in the world. And the pleasing views of the Makhonjwa Mountains, World Heritage site with all formations dating back to 3.5 billion years.
4. I would like to extend a very warm and special word of welcome to all our Distinguished International and Local Guests. As a Province and a Country we know very well that hosting an event of this magnitude is a huge challenge, but also a huge opportunity more especially on this tourism month.
5. This G20 platform reminds us that tourism is more than leisure, it is a driver of trade, infrastructure development, and international cooperation. We fully understand that it is out of such meetings that, as Mpumalanga, we will be assisted to safeguard the long-term prosperity of the tourism industry through sustainable development.
6. G20 is being regarded as a premier forum for global economic cooperation and global governance on issues affecting the world, it remains widely regarded as a vehicle for promoting effective multilateral cooperation as it brings together the world’s leading economies to ensure global economic stability and sustainable growth for all nations.
7. As correctly stated on the country key Agenda on assumption on the Presidency,
   “South Africa seeks the G20 to action the Pact of the Future, central to such are the pressing issues of peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations and transformation of global governance.”
8. Chairperson of the Session, we view the South Africa’s G20 presidency as something that offers a unique opportunity to shape the global agenda and secure commitments from powerful economies to address common critical issues with differentiated impacts, unfairly affecting developing nations.
9. It is out of the better understanding of the South Africa’s G20 Presidency, the first ever African presidency of the G20, adopted theme: “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability.”
10. I want to especially thank you minister for choosing our province to host the G20 Tourism ministerial meeting. There were those who were against your decision, they believed that Mpumalanga was not capable of hosing an event of this magnitude. But you, Minister de Lille fought for us and here we are today.
11. Representatives from our country and abroad are here, “One must travel to learn,” said Mark Twain. “The world is a book, and those who do not travel only read a page” that’s according to St Augustine.
12. God created varied beautiful places in Mpumalanga, starting with God’s window where you get to see as far as Mozambique. Our province is blessed with wonders of nature that attract millions of visitors annually, our majestic waterfalls, panoramic mountain passes, subtropical landscapes, and historic towns that carry the echoes of Africa’s past.
13. Places like Chrissiesmeer, small but very significant tourism destination located within the Msukaligwa Local Municipality. It is often called the “Lake District of South Africa” as it has over 270 natural lakes and pans with the
    largest of these being Lake Chriessie, South Africa’s largest natural freshwater lake(about 9 km long and 3 km wide).
14. It is the country’s top birding destination with over 350 bird species. The area has San rock art, giving insight into ancient history. Loskop and Golf Mpumalanga is also the cradle of humankind’s story, where ancient rock art and fossils remind us of humanity’s shared origins.
15. Dullstroom is another important tourism town located in Emakhazeni Local Municipality found on the Highland Meander tourism route. Dullstroom is Mpumalanga’s fly-fishing and highland escape destination, drawing visitors for eco-tourism, adventure and relaxation. The town is famous for its trout fishing dams and rivers, hiking, birdwatching, horseback riding and mountain biking. It is also home to the endangered Blue crane.
16. Tourism in Mpumalanga is not only about beauty, it is about opportunity. It is about how we unlock inclusive growth for our people. Tourism contributes significantly to job creation, entrepreneurship, and skills development, especially for women and young people. Through tourism,
    rural communities find pathways out of poverty, cultural groups showcase their heritage to the world, and small businesses thrive.
17. To our neighbours from Gauteng we invite you take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life and drive for a less than 100KM to our Los Koop Dam Game Reserve to see beautiful wild animals. Impala and Giraffe Without having to drive as far as the Kruger National Park.
18. We are conducting feasibility studies on the creation of waves similar to the waves created by Sol Kerzner in Sun City, Cable Car in the Mariepskop Mountain just like the table mountain in Cape Town. We want our visitors to enjoy the feel of coastal provinces while in inland.
19. We want to assure you that the safety of our visitors is our main priority. That’s why I don’t hesitate to invite you to extent your stay in the province and enjoy the beautiful weather, leave the `Kruger National Park and go to Sabi Sand and google how the six Mapogo brothers, five lion brothers and one adopted brother conquered Sabi Sand between 2010 and 2012.
20. If your itinerary exclude a visit to the Samora Machel Monument and Makhonjwa World Heritage site, your stay in the Province is incomplete. How can you visit Mpumalanga but do not set your foot at the place where the sun was created, Makhonjwa Mountain. I urge you to extend your stay and explore the beautiful province of the rising sun.
21. I want you to explore this beautiful province, allow me Chairperson to remind everybody in this important meeting of the Russian Proverb. “It is better to see something once than to hear about it a 100 times”
22. On behalf of the people of Mpumalanga, you are all welcomed. We are looking forward to a productive and successful G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting.
23. I thank you.