Municipality’s CFO ‘hounded out’ of job for refusing to sign dubious contracts

Lauded by opposition parties as honest and competent, Port St Johns local municipality chief financial officer Tembisa Kahla Sikolo is said to have resigned due to pressure from Eastern Cape politicians who wanted her to sign off on dubious multimillion-rand contracts.

She has since gone to ground, fearing for her safety.

Several attempts by The Citizen to speak to Sikolo drew a blank.

Port St Johns CFO resigned and gone underground

In her letter of resignation, with her final working day being Friday, she said: “I, Tembisa Kahla Sikolo, hereby tender my resignation from the position of chief financial officer at Port St Johns Municipality.”

African Transformation Movement (ATM) local leader Mzwandile Jam-Jam painted Port St Johns as one of South Africa’s poorest and underdeveloped towns, reeling from a high unemployment rate and politically connected individuals siphoning taxpayers’ money through questionable government contracts.

According to Jam-Jam, so embedded is the graft and nepotism in the municipality that “the only noble thing for Sikolo was to resign – a sign of defiance against corruption”.

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While Port St Johns mayor Cebisa Mazuza said Sikolo’s resignation was “for another job and to pursue growth”, the ATM – among political parties serving on the council – have linked her departure to her stance against corruption.

“Although she told us that she was leaving – without offering any strong reason – we have heard that there were ANC politicians putting pressure on her to pay service providers who did not do their work properly,” said Jam-Jam.

He said municipal annual budgets were “successfully passed through the council and tenders for the construction of access roads are given out, but never completed by companies awarded contracts”.

Pressure to pay service providers who didn’t to their work properly

Jam-Jam said the “stumbling block” in the campaign against corruption was “the fact that the ANC held a majority in council.

“Despite work being grossly incomplete, contractors are paid up in full – a sign of corruption with impunity.

“As councillors, when we go out to conduct oversight on road construction, we often express unhappiness about incomplete jobs.

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“But service providers get fully paid despite our protests.

“When going to integrated development plan (IDP) roadshows, corruption rears its ugly head.

“Companies being used during the IDP roadshow to provide catering services, logistics and other jobs, make money due to presenting an exorbitant mark up.

Nepotism and cadre deployment

“We notice this when the mayor submits a Section 52(d) report of the Municipal Finance Management Act on the implementation of the budget,” said Jam-Jam.

Nepotism and the ANC policy of cadre deployment was cited as another issue troubling the municipality.

Said Jam-Jam: “Employment practices are shocking, with people getting employed because they know a municipal official.

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“Cadre deployment is another problem.

“People are employed lacking qualifications, skills and competence, something we have condemned.

“As members of the opposition, the only avenue left for us is to use the media to expose what is happening here.

‘Cadre deployment a problem’

“People have to know that the ANC here is using taxpayers’ money to carry out projects for self-interests

“There is the 7km Babheke access road, which was only done to about 3km – never finished yet the contractor was paid.

“The Ngcoya access road, which we inspected and discovered that the service provider could not complete, was ultimately finished by a municipal plant.

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“Despite another shoddy job at the Chwebeni Road, also not completed, it was fully paid by the municipality.

“A rumour doing the rounds is the chief financial officer has resigned because she was supposed to have paid those service providers.

“We call on the Special Investigating Unit and all law enforcement structures to conduct a forensic investigation into the rot, which has destroyed governance in Port St Johns. We want corruption to come to an end.”

Wastage and corruption at local government level

Prof Theo Venter, a University of Johannesburg expert on local government: “Cases like the one in Port St Johns illustrate how wastage and corruption occur at local government level.

“An official who refused to sign a blatantly illegal document must be recognised at the highest level.

“This is good news – showing that we still have people with strong convictions.

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“In areas like KwaZulu-Natal, actions like this have cost lives.

“I hope police will do their best in protecting government officials who subscribe to good principles.”