PHUTI MOSOMANE
ANC Free State Chairperson and COGTA MEC Mxolisi Dukwana has been elected Premier of the province.
The Free State legislature convened to elect a new premier on Friday. The ANC Chief Whip Thabo Meeko nominated Mxolisi Dukwana, and was seconded by Polediso Motsoeneng.
A total of 24 members of the provincial legislature (MPL) voted, Dukwana received 17 votes against DA’s Roy Jankielsohn who received only seven.
Dukwana’s election followed the resignation of Sisi Ntombela as Premier in-line with recommendations of the ANC PEC meeting this month.
The decision of the PEC was finally accepted by the ANC NEC this week.
“As communicated on the 10 February 2023, the PEC resolved to redeploy Comrade Premier Sefora Sisi Ntombela. That decision was then subjected to the authority of the NEC Officials in line with the adopted rules which authorized officials to adjudicate and resolve over the selection of the possible candidates for premiership, a process which was undertaken and finalized on the 21st February 2023,” party secretary in the Free State Polediso Motsoeneng said.
He said the ANC in the Free State welcomed the development as it will bring stability through the elimination of two centres of power in the province.
However, ActionSA Free State Provincial Chairperson Patricia Kopane said among the key issues that the new Premier will have to contend is sanitation in the province which continues to rot.
She said the health department has a worrisome backlog of surgeries and incomplete capital projects are compromising service delivery.
“Irregular expenditure in the Free State has increased from over R7.6 billion to more than R9 billion, he is not the man to change this. The debt owed by Free State municipalities is significantly estimated at R17 billion owed to Eskom, almost R7 billion owed to water boards and an outstanding debt to pension funds of R446 million,” she said.
Dukwana is expected to make changes to his provincial Cabinet soon.
INSIDE POLITICS
