Dukwana just waiting for Luthuli House rubber stamp to become FS premier

ANC Free State provincial chair Mxolisi Dukwana could become the province’s premier as soon as Luthuli House gives the go-ahead for Sisi Ntombela to be removed and redeployed elsewhere.

ANC provincial spokesperson Jabu Mbalula said a decision has been made, but they were awaiting the green light from the ANC’s top seven officials. He confirmed the ANC in the Free State would remove Ntombela and Mangaung executive mayor Mxolisi Siyonzana.

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This was in line with the recent provincial executive committee (PEC) decision that Dukwana should take over as premier to enhance governance and to achieve the objective of bringing about a better life for all.

When Dukwana was sworn in as premier, he would probably reshuffle the provincial Cabinet to include some of his PEC members.

National resolutions

Mbalula said the move to remove the two and bring in Dukwana was necessitated by the need to strengthen provincial and local governments and in line with national resolutions. But he did not elaborate on where Ntombela and Siyonzana would be redeployed.

“As matters stand, there is an interaction with national officials to make them understand the rationale behind our decision to take these positions,” Mbalula said.

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On the Mangaung metro, he said the ANC chief whip and council speaker would also be removed, a decision that was taken some time ago.

The process wouldn’t affect only Mangaung but all municipalities in the Free State, but the initial focus would be on specific crises of poor performance in service delivery and financial management in all of them.

They would look at priority programmes of the municipalities considering the adverse reports of the auditor-general around accountability, general instability and the poor state of finances in each of them.

Collapse of service delivery

The changes in both the provincial and local governments was necessitated by the collapse in service delivery and lack of leadership in both spheres in the province.

Lack of leadership and collapsed service delivery in Free State and Mangaung was emphasised by ANC national chair Gwede Mantashe during his opening speech for the recent party provincial conference.

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Mantashe told Ntombela in no uncertain terms that there was no leadership in the Free State and Mangaung metro had completely failed the people on service delivery