On Sunday 22 January 2023, Ntombela lost the ANC chairperson position by 40 votes to Mxolisi Dukwana who she had appointed as MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) in 2021.  

Mangaung Concerned Community (MCC) spokesperson, Themba Zweni, says the MCC is excited by the confession made by the National Chairperson of the ANC, Gwede Mantashe, when he publicly admitted that there is no provincial nor local government in the Free State during his opening remarks at the provincial conference.  He says the Ntombela and her collective must resign immediately and further called on the ruling party to appoint a decisive premier who is going to fix the provincial government, as well as provide the necessary support to the local sphere of governance.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa ally elected as Free State PEC chairperson

“In October last year, on the 3rd of October to be exact, the MCC criticised the premiership of MaNtombela. We called on her and her collective to resign as we noticed that there is no provincial government. The provincial government has been ignoring very important issues that are affecting the residents,” said Zweni.

OFM News earlier reported that Ntombela and her seven MECs failed to make the list of the newly appointed PEC members. Despite their omission from the current list of newly elected PEC members, ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) spokesperson Oupa Khoabane, says it does not pave the way for people who are not elected as PEC members to be reshuffled.

ALSO READ: Wind of change is blowing for Free State ANC

Zweni has since expressed his vote of confidence in the newly elected and further demanded action from the new leadership. Ntombela pledged support for Dukwana and the newly elected ANC leadership in the province.

ALSO READ: Ntombela pledges support for ANC's new Free State leadership

“I’ve heard there are some things, so many complaints. They have just informed me but I will wait until I get the right report that explains what exactly happened inside there, in the IEC. But at the moment he is the chairperson and I want to congratulate him and wish him luck. And I also want to say to him, he must try by all means to make sure he unites the Free State because we are left with a few months before we go to the elections,” said Ntombela.

OFM News