State Capture Testimony and Nina Simone dominate Dukwana’s inauguration speech

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – The newly elected Premier of the Free State province, Mxolisi Dukwana delivered his maiden speech on Friday, 24 February 2023 and for a province that is on the brink of collapse, he said absolutely nothing.

Much was expected from the Premier who was inaugurated 11 years after he was axed by the former secretary general of the ANC, Ace Magashule, he finally got the top job after defeating Sefora Ntombela in the provincial conference.

The speech focused more on his state capture testimony, especially the Estina Dairy Farm, and of course taking a leaf from president Ramaphosa’s Thuma mina-themed speech but he had Nina Simone’s song, Young, Black, and Gifted.

Blaming State Capture is like blaming apartheid and quoting Nina’s lyrics is ironic in the sense that the ANC has been in power since 1994 and portrays itself as nonracial party, so what has it done for the young, black, and gifted?

The lyrics quoted and what followed seek to imply before Dukwana, young people in Free State did not have opportunities and the opposite is true, young people from disadvantaged areas studied locally and abroad under Ace Magashule, and doctors and engineers were produced. He knows this.

Under his tenure as MEC for COGTA, none of the municipalities got a clean audit, none. Mangaung Metro became a war zone in which he as MEC also joined the mess by taking the municipality to court, the least said about service delivery in all municipalities the better. All under his watch.

What’s even more worrying is the R300 million was flagged in the Vista Park project, the government’s failure to implement a recovery plan, and ghost workers in Mangaung.

With the state of the province address (SOPA) taking place on Tuesday, 28 February 2023, we hope he will outline his plans to deal with real issues affecting Free State residents and we will hold him accountable.

Having spoken about nepotism in the government that can only be read as a looming purge others so those who supported his elevation can be appointed.

As we previously reported that a skill audit will be implemented sources say that will be used to justify why they are targeted.

The province has had 5 premiers in the past 29 years with teachers and a nurse at the helm, only Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburi had a higher NQF level.

We shall trace his performance against his commitments on his 100th day in office on 3 June 2023.

Government is not only what Dukwana must manage, unconfirmed reports suggest that there is already division in his faction with Lejweleputswa pulling the strings and Polediso “50 000 Jobs For Youth” Motsoeneng already called a dictator because of his refusal to listen to listen Southern Sun elite.

According to sources Lejweleputswa wants to have Health and Police, Roads and Transport with Mathabo Leeto and Xolani Toki as MECs because of their huge budgets.

The challenge according to sources is the reserve list, for now, can only accommodate two people and it’s not clear if MECs will resign from the legislature like Mojalefa Buti who was lied to and promised heaven and only be left home and or if they will pull Sam Mashinini and Vusi Tshabalala who remained MPs after failed attempts to purge them.

Then there is Mangaung Metro where Southern Sun wants former MEC Greg Nthatisi to be the Executive Mayor while the newly appointed chairman Lawrance Mathae thinks he should replace Siyonzana who resigned last week.

If you have news or tips please email us at news@stepupsanews.co.za or WhatsApp 0685000246