Victor Tharage

Mr Victor Tharage is deputy directorgeneral responsible for Policy and Knowledge Services. A Science graduate from the former University of Durban- Westville, Mr Tharage has post-graduate qualifications in management studies from Harvard University, environmental studies from Galilee College in Israel, and corporate direction from the Graduate Institute of Management and Technology. His portfolio at the Department of Tourism includes driving the implementation of the National Tourism Sector Strategy, sector research, policy development and responsible tourism.

Mr Tharage served as the head of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM tourism preparations unit, and was recently appointed to serve as the national registrar for tourist guides. He also serves on the Tourism Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Charter Council as head of the Secretariat. Prior to joining the newly formed Department of Tourism in 2009, Mr Tharage was head of the strategy office responsible for strategy and business performance at the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). He joined DEAT in 2001 as operations manager in the national policy unit for the World Summit for Sustainable Development, after serving at Statistics South Africa and in the non-profit and private sector environments.