Sita CEO resigns, cites interference
His departure comes just nine months after his appointment, which was seen as a bold move in putting a 60-year-old white male in charge of an organisation that supplies technologies to the government.
The timing is dreadful, coming as Sita stages a high-profile conference in Durban to send a message to private sector suppliers that political influence counts for more than business sense. One source said Jones’s resignation would “throw away” Sita’s credibility.
Jones and Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi had both given upbeat speeches at the conference on Monday, though Jones had already quietly tendered his resignation.
Yesterday Jones confirmed that he was quitting, though the date and terms of his departure were still being finalised. He said there had been disagreements over a number of issues, chiefly involving authority and the roles of management. He declined to comment further, but did say: “Somebody else might be able to fill the role quite successfully, but it’s not something that I am capable of or want to do.”
Online publication ITWeb said Jones had clashed with the government’s chief information officer, Michelle Williams, who is also deputy-chairman of the Sita board, apparently after she interfered in the awarding of a tender.
ITWeb also said Fraser Moleketi had sided with Williams, upsetting other board members in a move that could trigger several resignations.
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