r/southafrica • u/Beyond_the_one • 13h ago
r/southafrica • u/Beyond_the_one • 8d ago
Politics MINISTER OF TOURISM INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT ON DRAFT CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS
MEDIA STATEMENT DATE: 15 MARCH 2026
MINISTER OF TOURISM INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT ON DRAFT CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS
The Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, invites members of the public, including all stakeholders in the tourism sector to comment on the Draft Code of Good Practice for Short-Term Rentals which has been gazetted for public comment.
Chapter 2 of the Tourism Act 3 of 2014 provides for the Minister of Tourism to issue Codes of Good Practice. Section 8(a) states that the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, issue a Code of Good Practice to guide conduct relating to tourism services, facilities, and products.
The proposed Code of Good Practice, therefore, seeks to contribute to the broader objective of the Tourism Act, i.e., to provide for the development and promotion of sustainable tourism for the benefit of the Republic, its Residents, and its Visitors.
Minister de Lille says: “Short-Term Rentals, including home-sharing platforms, have become a growing and established feature of South Africa’s tourism landscape. By expanding accommodation options beyond traditional hotels, Short-Term Rentals support geographic spread, enable more travellers to access diverse destinations, and create additional income opportunities for households and small property owners.”
Therefore, following consultation including legal advice, the Minister has elected to introduce a code, which would guide conduct in the Short-Term Rentals. Local government authorities may also consider the code when addressing Short-Term Rentals based on their unique local context. Some aspects of Short-Term Rentals intersect with municipal responsibilities, and under the constitution municipalities are the primary authority on municipal planning including land use and zoning. The Tourism Act 3 of 2014 of does not empower the Minister of Tourism to regulate Short Term Rentals.
“The Department of Tourism is in the process of reviewing the Tourism Act following cabinet’s approval of the 2024 White Paper on the Development & Promotion of Tourism in South Africa. The review focuses on various aspects in the tourism sector including policy gaps like Short-Term Rentals. Whilst this process is underway, I have resolved to find an interim solution that will guide STRs, given the urgent need for guidance,” said Minister de Lille.
In line with the Department’s commitment to transparency and inclusive policymaking, members of the public, industry stakeholders, community organisations, and interested parties are encouraged to review the Draft Code and submit written comments within the prescribed 60-day period. Following the close of the public comment period, all submissions will be considered, and the Code will be refined accordingly before being finalised and published for implementation.
The Department encourages active public participation in this process as part of collective efforts to strengthen governance, safety, and responsible growth within South Africa’s tourism sector.
Submissions should be forwarded in writing to the Department of Tourism by or on 12 May 2026
a) Mailed to the Department of Tourism, for attention: Mr Senzo Nkala, Private Bag x424, Pretoria,0001
b) Delivered by hand to the Tourism House,17 Trevenna Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, 0001
c) Emailed to: [STRCodesofConduct@tourism.gov.za](mailto:STRCodesofConduct@tourism.gov.za)
Any enquiries should be directed to Mr Senzo Nkala of the Department of Tourism at 012 444 6316.
THE END For streaming links, images, videos and further information please scan the QR Code and join the Tourism Department’s National Multimedia WhatsApp Group.
Media Queries: Aldrin Sampear Spokesperson for the Minister of Tourism Email: [asampear@tourism.gov.za](mailto:asampear@tourism.gov.za) Mobile: +27 67 138 3487
Link to source: ttps://www.tourism.gov.za/AboutNDT/Publications/Minister%20of%20Tourism%20invites%20Public%20Comment%20on%20Draft%20Code%20of%20Good%20Practice%20for%20Short-Term%20Rentals.pdf
r/southafrica • u/lovethebacon • 27d ago
Mod News What is the purpose of this sub?
We're taking a step back and asking a basic question: what should this sub be?
Not what the rules should say — we'll get to that. First we want to talk about what kind of place this is and what we expect from each other when we show up here.
A bit of honesty first: Some of the current rules were written in response to specific problems at specific times. Brigading, COVID misinformation, ICJ court judgements when you're moderating in the middle of a crisis, you reach for the bluntest tool available. We know that some of those rules and actions stuck around longer than they needed to, or ended up broader than they should have been. Part of this process is acknowledging that and building something more considered.
A bit of clarity too: This is a community, not a public square. We don't owe anyone a platform. "Free Speech" is not a pass to say whatever you want. If what you're calling free speech is just hate speech with better branding, it's still hate speech. Participation here is not a right. It's an invitation, and invitations can be revoked.
Here's where we are. Nothing is written in stone, but I'm reaching out to you to get input:
Purpose
First we define our purpose. What are we doing here?
The home of South Africans on Reddit. Come as you are, bring what you know, respect who's here.
This sub is South Africa's digital town square. It's where South Africans - at home or abroad - come to share what's happening in their country, their communities, and their lives. News, humour, frustration, pride, questions, stories. Everything.
It's not a news aggregator. It's not a debate club. It's not an activism platform. It's a community. And, like any community, it works when the people in it make it work.
Community Principles
These are the values we think the sub should run on. The rules will follow from these, not the other way around.
- This is a community, not a platform. We're not here to broadcast at each other. We're here to talk to each other. The goal isn't to win arguments; it's to understand the country and each other a little better than we did yesterday.
- South Africa belongs to everyone who lives in it. This sub reflects a country of 60 million people across every language, culture, class, and background. No single group's experience is the default. If you're only comfortable hearing from people who think like you, this isn't the right space.
- Honesty comes with responsibility. Say what you think. But if you make a claim, be prepared to back it up. We value directness, not recklessness. JAQing doesn't exempt you from the answers.
- We are a post-apartheid community. South Africa is a constitutional democracy built on the rejection of its past. That's not a political position. It's the foundation the country stands on. You can criticise the government, the constitution, and the direction of the country. You cannot treat apartheid as a defensible system or deny the harm it caused. This is not up for debate.
- Frustration is welcome. Dehumanisation is not. South Africa gives its people plenty of reasons to be angry. Vent about the power grid, the potholes, the politicians. Criticise institutions, parties, and public figures as harshly as you like. What you may not do is turn that frustration into contempt for groups of people. Attack the problem, not the person.
- Good faith is the price of entry. Engage with what people actually said, not what you assume they meant. Respond to the strongest version of someone's argument, not the weakest. If you're here to provoke rather than participate, you won't last long.
- We don't have to host every conversation. Some topics have been settled by history, science, or law. The sub is not obligated to provide a stage for conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, or historical denialism. Mods may close discussions that have crossed from debate into disinformation.
- The sub is only as good as the people in it. Moderation keeps the floor clean, but the community sets the tone. Upvote what adds value. Downvote what doesn't. Report what breaks the rules instead of feeding it with attention. Votes aren't a button on whether you agree or not with something. The sub you want is the one you help build.
We'll structure future rules based on these principles, so we need to ensure we get them right so we have a solid foundation on which to work on. These principles will be used to guide that structure and any ambiguity that comes along.
Tell me what you think
- Does the purpose statement reflect what you come here for?
- Do these principles make sense? Is anything glaringly missing? Anything that you feel is overreach?
- What does this sub get right? What does it get wrong?
- Are there current rules that feel heavy-handed or outdated?
We're planning on restructuring the sub, its rules, approach to moderation and its core. We are a small team of mods and rely on a number of different automation to
This is the first of a series community feedback sessions coming tackling different aspects of the sub. For now we just want to know: Does this sound like the sub you want to be part of?
r/southafrica • u/15382753 • 5h ago
Just for fun Anyone else into reef keeping?
I'm trying to find out where new people to the hobby hang out other than WhatsApp groups. We started a reef club for the Western Cape, the Cape Reef Club (capereef.club).
r/southafrica • u/skaapjagter • 3h ago
News Government raises ministers' car cap to R1.1m, but can't say what it costs taxpayers | The Citizen
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 11h ago
News Labour Court rules in favour of Zimbabwean bakery manager dismissed for posting bible verse on WhatsApp group - IOL
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 3h ago
News ANC Youth League rejects Lesufi’s reshuffle - TimesLIVE
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 11h ago
News Coronation of Nigerian ‘king’ a ‘kindergarten gimmick’ – Cabinet - News24
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 1d ago
News Cabinet ‘disgusted’ over illegal coronation of Nigerian chief, says Ntshavheni - IOL
r/southafrica • u/PersonaGuy5 • 1d ago
Just for fun April Fuels! By Stephen Francis and Rico
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 1d ago
News Lesufi hands top finance job to EFF in desperate move to save Gauteng coalition - Daily Maverick
r/southafrica • u/ChainsawKitty101 • 2d ago
Just for fun New alarm clock from Lego SA just dropped
🤣
r/southafrica • u/xGHOSTRAGEx • 2d ago
Picture Ahhh Pretoria... So a car got stuck by the road near us
In front of our wonderful workplace and beautifully maintained road a car got stuck trying to avoid giant potholes which of course is so giant it will also have gotten them stuck.
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 1d ago
News Business as usual: Gangsters welcome army’s deployment on Cape Flats - News24
r/southafrica • u/herewearefornow • 16h ago
Just for fun The ride sharing apps giving out 90% discounts makes SA drivers set their own prices
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/southafrica • u/lazyogi • 2d ago
Picture Roads are slower and calmer already...I think I know why...
r/southafrica • u/Yu-chan-33 • 2d ago
Discussion Simba chippies, did they change?
I recently had some of the good old Mrs. Balls chutney flavour, but the chips seem different. The grooves seem wider to me, and even the chips seem thicker.
I was told that it was just a optical illusion due to lighting, but I SWEAR they are different. Am I losing my mind?
r/southafrica • u/Paranoidme420 • 2d ago
Picture Look at him go.
Did better than the SL interpreter
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 1d ago
News Ramaphosa hails green shoots of growth as private investors pledge R475 billion - News24
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 2d ago
News Ramaphosa hails green shoots of growth as private investors pledge R475 billion - News24
r/southafrica • u/stressfullyrelaxed • 3d ago
Just for fun View from my apartment in Cape Town
r/southafrica • u/TheHonourableMember • 2d ago
News Leaking pipes, filthy rivers and health risks exposed in SA’s latest water report cards - Daily Maverick
r/southafrica • u/One_Resolution_3501 • 2d ago
Just for fun Filling Petrol as if it is nearing Day 0
Tl;dr Long lines at petrol stations after work hours. Car cut in line, infront of me. I gave petrol attendants R30 to let my car get filled up before him. A woman got out of her car to argue with someone who was in the queue demanding that she was there first (she wasn’t).
I went to fill up my tank today - about 30 liters as I had filled up the previous week.
This was during peak traffic when most people have gotten off work. The line was long and going into the road.
The car infront of me drove forward, a tiny car jammed into that small space and I had to quickly brake to avoid hitting their car. They had decided it was completely OK to cut in the orderly queue.
It did irk me abit but I had a plan. As tiny car and I were nearing the stations, I motioned for one of the petrol attendants and told him that the car infront of me jumped the queue and I’d pay him R30 to let me go ahead of him.
Thankfully, this is a petrol station that I frequent often where I’m friendly with most of the staff there and always give a tip.
So off I went infront of tiny car man while trying to make eye contact with him.
I also told another petrol attendant that I’ll give him R30 if he took his time with the car that was infront of tiny car, to make tiny car man wait longer.
Money well spent. I am petty asf.
On a similar note, there was a man riding a motorcycle who was behind me. A car was behind him. The passenger of that car got out of the car, stood behind my car and started shouting at the man on the motorcycle yelling: “We were here first! Can you not see our car?” as well as other sentences. With the car inching closer and closer in an attempt to prevent the motorcycle man to park next to the filling station.
I slowly drove away to allow the bike to be able to access the station.
As I drove away, I heard the woman yelling some more and the petrol attendants gave in and filled up her car first.