South African Tourism appoints new CMO and COO
Sithembile Ndaba has been appointed chief marketing officer (CMO), effective 1 April 2026, while Ismail Dockrat will assume the role of chief operating officer (COO) from 1 May 2026.
Strengthening executive leadership
These appointments complete South African Tourism’s executive leadership team, following the recent appointments of the chief financial officer and chief audit executive in January 2026, and the chief convention bureau officer in December 2025.
The strengthened leadership structure is expected to enhance the organisation’s ability to position South Africa as a globally competitive and compelling tourism destination.
A seasoned marketing leader
Ndaba, CM(SA) MCom, brings more than 25 years of experience across brand strategy, global positioning, integrated marketing, and reputation management. Her career spans both public and private sectors, including multinational FMCG companies such as Pioneer Foods, Tiger Brands and Unilever.
She joins from Brand South Africa, where she served as general manager: marketing and held acting executive roles, including acting CEO and acting CMO.
During her tenure, she played a key role in advancing South Africa’s national brand and represented the organisation at global platforms such as the World Economic Forum and BRICS.
Ndaba said: “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.”
Driving operational excellence
Ismail Dockrat brings over 25 years of leadership experience across aviation, aerospace manufacturing, logistics, trade, investment and tourism promotion.
He has held senior roles at institutions including Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Armscor, Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA), Wesgro, Denel and Glodina.
An engineer with an MBA from the University of Cape Town, Dockrat is recognised for driving organisational turnarounds, strengthening governance and advancing digital transformation initiatives.
Dockrat said: “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.”
Positioned for growth
Commenting on the appointments, acting CEO Dr Shamilla Chettiar said the organisation is now fully equipped at the executive level to advance its mandate. "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.
"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."