Official ‘hounded out’ of job

SIKOLO: CFO GOES TO GROUND FOLLOWING RESIGNATION FROM PORT ST JOHNS MUNICIPALITY

- Brian Sokutu

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 multi-million-rand contracts.

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

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

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".

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.