He was speaking at the Pre-State of the Province Address (Sopa) breakfast briefing when a question was posed: "Who will table this year’s Sopa?" 

He replied: “The premier will table the Sopa”. 

Mokone made no mention of the name of the premier that will table next’s week Sopa. 

This comes on the heels of speculation that the current premier, Sisi Ntombela, might resign following a media briefing invitation expected to explain her future to the media. The media briefing was later cancelled, and the reason for the cancellation was not offered.

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Another question was: "Will the current Members of the Executive also be removed, should Ntombela resign?” Mokone said he is not aware of it but assured the media that the Sopa will go ahead as planned on Tuesday 28 February 2023 at the University of the Free State’s Vista Campus, in the south of Bloemfontein. 

The 2023 SOPA will be attended by at least 5000 guests and 30 members of the media will be allowed to attend the main address. Other members of the media will be accommodated outside the venue in a tent where the post-SOPA media briefing will be held. A day before, on Monday 27 February 2023, there will be another pre-SOPA media briefing, which will be held by the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature and the premier, who will table the address.

ALSO READ: Free State sets date for State of the Province Address

In other news, MTN will be partnering with the Provincial Legislature in order to make the Sopa a great experience for all relevant stakeholders. Speaking at the briefing, was MTN’s Head of Business Enterprise in Bloemfontein, Felix Mokoena. He mentioned that their goal after Sopa will be accelerating the objectives that have been set out in the address. They will be entering into what he described as a public-private partnership. “Through this, we will address the community's most important matters,” he concluded.

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