Ousted FS premier says no harm done with her removal

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – The ousted Free State Premier, Sisi Ntombela, says there is no harm in her removal as the premier of the province.

Ntombela was recalled by the ANC’s Provincial Executive Committee(PEC) after losing race of chairperson to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s strong ally Mxolisi Dukwana.

On Thursday, 23 February 2023 Ntombela addressed the media at the ANC headqauters called Kaizer Sebothelo House in Bloemfontein where she mentioned that she understood and appreciated the culture of how the ruling party work around its issues.

Ntombela assured all the harboured no ill feelings following the move by the PEC and said being the premier is not a kingdomship but rather a party political position which means one can be recalled at anytime.

“I am redeployed and am accepting it 100%. All that we must do is to rally behind the incoming premier and work very hard so that the African National Congress(ANC) wins the elections in 2024 and also to support the new premier to make sure that where have failed the new premier must continue to do the good work and help him to asssit our people,” Ntombela said.

Ntombela joined ANC PEC members including the deputy Chairperson Ketso “Toto” Makume and Provincial Secretary Polediso “50 000 Jobs for Youth” Motsoeneng who addressed the media at the packed party’s headquaters on the latest political develoments in the Free State.

Whilst addressing the media Motsoeneng said.

“The ANC in Free State welcomes this development as it will bring stability through the elimination of two centres of power in the province. We also wish to thank comrades Deputy Chairperson Ketso Makume and Deputy Secretary Dibolelo Mahlatsi for their participation in the interview process. We congratulate our Premier-elect, Comrade Mxolisi Dukwana, who is also our Chairperson, and wish him well on this task that the ANC has given to him. Comrade Mxolisi is an experienced and knowledgeable cadre who has served both the ANC and government in different capacities. His experience, leadership qualities, and passion for the people of the Free State will come in handy as he readies to execute his tasks diligently”.

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Ntombela tendered her resignation letter on Tuesday, 21 February and also resigned as a member of the Free State Provincial Legislature (MPL) creating space for the incoming premeir.

In her letter of her resignation seen by step up Ntombela wrote that.

“I want to express my appreciation for the support you and my organization the ANC, have provided me during the tenure as the member of the Provincial Legislature and Premier of the province.

Together we have done our  best in difficult circumstances to meet the expectations of our people. I  wish the incoming premier and my beloved ANC all the best in the task that lies ahead.

I remain available and committed to our revolutionary goals and ready to serve in any deployment the organisation deem fit”.

Step UP SA NEWS previously reported that Ntombela was allegedly viewed as associated with the legacy of Magashule which has been described disastrous one. Its said that when Ntombela got into the office she failed to disrupt Magashule’s system of operations.

A close source in the upper achelons of the party said Ntomebela kept what is now know as “Ace’s people”.

Following her resignation a letter from the office of the ANC’s Secretary General (SG) Fikile Mbalula, the party’s National Executive Committee( NEC) indicated that, Mxolisi Dukwana, will ascend to the high political position in the province.

On the letter from Mbalula’s office it says that “based on the interviews, the national officials are of the view that all three candidates are of a high calibre and have potential to play meaningful roles as deployees in a number of spheres of government in the current conjuncture, given his experience and the challenges faced by the Free State, the national officials are of the view that Comrade, Mxolisi Dukwana, is the preferred candidate for the position of Premier of the Free State.”

On Thursday, 23 members of the Free State Legislature were set to convene at Forth Raadsaal to elect Dukwana as the new premier of the province.

But due to the dates confusion and mix up the special sitring could not take place.

Speaker of the Legislature Zanele Sifuba informed all those who gathered at the legislature that Chief Justice (CJ) Raymond Zondo advised that the sitting should be held on Friday, 24 February and indeed Dukwana was sworn in and is the Premier.

Dukwana will find it difficult to shake off his State Capture testimony in which he admitted having received R10 000 from the Gupta family and in an interview with City Press he reportedly said he turned down R2 million a month from the same family but accepted R10 000.

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