Sakhumzi Somyo

Sakhumzi Somyo
Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Auditor General
In office 2 July 2019 – 28 May 2024
Preceded by	Nthabiseng Pauline Khunou
Succeeded by	Wouter Wessels
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
In office 22 May 2019 – 28 May 2024
Constituency	Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development, Environment and Tourism
In office 23 May 2014 – 9 May 2018
Preceded by	Mcebisi Jonas
Succeeded by	Oscar Mabuyane
Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature
In office 21 May 2014 – 7 May 2019
Personal details
Born	Sakhumzi Stoffels Somyo 1960 (age 64–65)
Nationality	South African
Political party	African National Congress
Education	Jabavu High School
Alma mater	Cape College of Education University of Fort Hare (BA)
Profession	Politician

Sakhumzi Stoffels Somyo (born 1960) is a South African politician. A member of the African National Congress, he was elected to the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature in 2014. He was then appointed as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) responsible for the Finance, Economic Development, Environment and Tourism portfolio. In 2018, he was fired as an MEC. Somyo was elected to Parliament in 2019. Soon after, he was elected Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Auditor General. He left parliament in 2024.

Early life and education

Somyo was born in 1960. He matriculated from Jabavu High School. He completed a 3-year Teacher's Diploma at the Cape College of Education in Fort Beaufort. Somyo holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree and an Executive Management Certificate from the University of Fort Hare. He is busy completing his Master of Public Administration degree at Fort Hare.[1]

Political career

Somyo served as the regional chairperson of the ANC's Amathole region in the Eastern Cape.[1] He also served as the deputy provincial chairperson of the ANC until the party's 2017 provincial conference.[2]

Eastern Cape provincial government

In 2014, Somyo stood for the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature as 5th on the ANC's list. He was elected to the provincial legislature as the ANC won 45 out of the 63 seats.[3] Having entered the provincial legislature, Somyo was appointed as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) responsible for the Finance, Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism portfolio by the newly elected premier, Phumulo Masualle.[4] In 2015, Somyo opened the 2015 Africa Open at the East London Golf Club.[5]

During the 2018 Provincial Budget Speech in March 2018, Somyo denounced the exodus of more than 300‚000 residents from the Eastern Cape to other provinces‚ according to the 2011 national census‚ which had resulted in a R13.9-billion cut in the province's national budget allocation since 2013. Somyo referred to the provincial budget as a "balancing budget".[6] In May 2018, Masualle reshuffled his executive council, in which he fired Somyo and replaced him with Oscar Mabuyane.[7]

Parliamentary career

In 2019, Somyo stood for election to the South African National Assembly as the 5th candidate on the ANC's list in the Eastern Cape.[8] He was elected to the National Assembly at the election.[9] Upon election, Somyo was elected chairperson of the Standing Committee on Auditor General.[10] He also serves on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

In August 2021, Somyo said that some municipalities in South Africa presented an unsatisfactory picture of their financial management.[11]

During a committee meeting of the Standing Committee on Auditor General in November 2021, Somyo said that he found it hard to believe that Eskom was functioning when rolling blackouts were frequently occurring.[12]

Somyo did not seek reelection in 2024 and left parliament.[13]

References

1. "Mr Sakhumzi Stoffels Somyo". Parliament of South Africa. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
2. Ngcukana, Lubabalo. "Oscar Mabuyane elected new chair as violence mars ANC conference". Citypress. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
3. "2014 elections: Members of Eastern Cape legislature - DOCUMENTS | Politicsweb". www.politicsweb.co.za. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
4. "Statement by Mr Phumulo Masualle, Premier of the Eastern Cape, on the occasion of the appointment and swearing-in of Members of the Executive Council on Friday | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
5. "Eastern Cape MEC Somyo officially launches the 2015 Africa Open Golf Challenge". News24. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
6. "Exodus costs Eastern Cape R13-billion". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
7. "Phumulo Masualle fires four MECs and reshuffles his government". BusinessLIVE. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
8. "ANC national and provincial lists for 2019 elections - DOCUMENTS | Politicsweb". www.politicsweb.co.za. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
9. "SEE: These are the people who will represent you in Parliament, provincial legislatures". News24. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
10. "Election of Chairperson | PMG". pmg.org.za. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
11. "Wasteful expenditure continues to plaque many municipalities in SA: Parliament". SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
12. "Eskom faces R152 billion in debt repayments". SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader. 11 November 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
13. https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/list-shows-some-80-anc-mps-wont-return-to-parliament-c109fb25-ed6f-477c-a95b-77b510b59aa8

External links

• Mr Sakhumzi Stoffels Somyo at People's Assembly
• Sakhumzi Somyo on Twitter