South African Tourism has apppinted Ms Sithembile Ndaba as Chief Marketing Officer effective 1 April 2026 and Mr Ismail Dockrat as Chief Operating Officer effective 1 May 2026. The appointments will complete the organisation’s full executive leadership team following recent roles for Chief Financial Officer, Chief Audit Executive and Chief Convention Bureau Officer. Sithembile Ndaba is bringing more than 25 years of experience in brand strategy, global positioning and reputation management from public and private sectors including Pioneer Foods, Tiger Brands and Unilever.
Ismail Dockrat is bringing over 25 years of leadership in aviation, aerospace manufacturing, logistics, trade, investment and tourism promotion with an engineering background and MBA from the University of Cape Town. The new executives are strengthening leadership and governance as South African Tourism continues to market South Africa as a globally competitive tourism destination. Dr Shamilla Chettiar is confirming the team is positioned to drive organisational excellence and global elevation of South Africa’s tourism brand.
Sithembile Ndaba previously served as General Manager Marketing at Brand South Africa and held acting roles as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer while representing the organisation on international platforms. Ismail Dockrat has led organisational turnarounds and digital transformation initiatives at institutions including CSIR, ARMSCOR and Trade and Investment South Africa.
The appointments are completing the full executive leadership team
Sithembile Ndaba shared “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.”
Ismail Dockrat shared “Serving my beautiful country fills me with pride, and I believe South Africa shines as one of the world’s top destinations, offering unparalleled adventures and cultural richness. 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.”
Shamilla Chettiar shared “With the appointments of Sithembile and Ismail, South African Tourism now has a full executive leadership team. 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.”
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