Corruption claims swirl as Port St Johns CFO steps down

If she has indeed gone to ground – which is difficult to determine – then all of us must worry about the fate of Port St Johns local municipality chief financial officer Tembisa Kahla Sikolo, who allegedly resigned because her conscience would not permit her to sign off on dodgy contracts.

Port St Johns mayor Cebisa Mazuza said Sikolo’s resignation was “for another job and to pursue growth”.

But other parties in the council have another view.

And that is that she could not take the pressure being applied on her by ANC councillors – and the mayor belongs to that party, oddly enough – to pay service providers who did not do their work properly.

ALSO READ: Family member of mayor accused of rigging eNatis: Here’s how much has been stolen

African Transformation Movement local leader Mzwandile Jam-Jam says corruption is deeply ingrained in the municipality, which suffers from high unemployment and, unsurprisingly, nepotism also characterises the town’s hiring practices.

“People are employed lacking qualifications, skills and competence,” he said.

Without Sikolo’s confirmation of the reasons for her resignation, much of the comment around it is speculative.

However, the situation in Port St Johns, as claimed by opposition politicians, sums up municipal government in any area run by the ANC… looting, incompetence and jobs-for-pals.

Unless that is tackled, our towns will remain basket cases.

NOW READ: City of Tshwane ‘moving forward’ but ‘no major change’