Mixed reaction after SANDF confirms that a foreign national is acting CFO
Published: 28/Août/2023
Source: The Star / Independent Online (Johannesburg)
By Ntombi Nkosi
Johannesburg – A number of South Africans expressed concern amid the Department of Defence (DOD) defence of their stance of hiring foreign national Edem Abotsi to occupy a high-ranking position in the country’s army.
Abotsi is based in the Defence Head Quarters Armscor building in Erasmuskloof and is being paid handsomely for the position he holds.
Following social media queries questioning the status and citizenship of Abotsi, the department responded by saying that Ghanaian Abotsi, who is the acting chief financial officer (CFO), has been in South Africa since 1991 and was naturalised as a citizen of the country in 1999, after being in the country nine years.
This raised more questions as to what type of visa allowed a foreign national to stay in the country for nine years.
The department’s head of communication, Siphiwe Dlamini, confirmed that Abotsi has been in the department since 2014 as Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Director Financial Services.