WATCH: ‘Time to rebuild Free State is now,’ says Ntombela just days after resigning as premier

Start working like slaves in order to live like kings. That is the message from former premier of the Free State Sisi Ntombela to the newly-elected leadership.

Ntombela, who tendered her resignation this week, said she has no regrets over her tenure as the number one citizen of the Free State.

There was a lot of speculation about when Ntombela would resign after the provincial elective conference of the African National Congress (ANC) saw her losing her chairperson position to Mxolisi Dukwana. On Friday, Dukwana was sworn in as the province’s new premier.

ALSO READ: Mxolisi Dukwana elected ANC Free State chairperson

Watch: In conversation with former premier of Free State, Sisi Ntombela

Speaking exclusively to The Citizen on Thursday night, Ntombela said, considering the myriad challenges faced by residents, the time to rebuild the province is now.

“Despite the achievements we have achieved as a province, there are still unresolved challenges our residents are facing because indeed there are some of our officials who really failed us.

“In the departments of roads and human settlements, I think our officials did not do well there, hence we are advising the new premier to act immediately against anyone who is not doing good,” she said.

Ntombela stressed that she had tried her best as premier to improve the living conditions of Free State’s residents.

The Free State has seen a number violent service delivery protests since the start of the year.

During one of the protests, a house belonging to the parents of the Ngwathe Local Municipality mayor Victoria De Beer was torched.

WATCH: House of Ngwathe mayor’s parents set alight

🟥BREAKING NEWS🟥 The house of Ngwathe Mayor's Parents has been burned down amid service delivery protests. pic.twitter.com/8BrwY05laC

— Central News (@centralnewsza) January 16, 2023

The Free State has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent times with senior ANC officials raising concerns about the deteriorating service delivery.

The Free State is among the provinces that will be visited by a team of senior ANC officials in a bid to address issues of service delivery.

ALSO READ: ANC vows to prioritise service delivery in 2023

What prompted Ntombela to resign?

“Immediately after the ANC provincial conference, the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) took a decision to redeploy me and they asked me to stay on as premier until they discuss their decision with the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC.

“As a disciplined member of the ANC, I resigned immediately after they informed me of the decision they took with the NEC that I should resign,” Ntombela said.

The way forward

According to Ntombela, she was told by the ANC that they are still negotiating her redeployment. She, however, stressed that she would like to spend more time with her family for now.

“I have never spent my whole life with my children and I feel now I will have time for my family,” Ntombela added.