Because of his party's policies, the recently appointed Premier of the Free State, Mr Mxolisi Dukwana, will not be able to save the province from its numerous predicaments.
Dukwana remains a loyal member of the ANC. The ruling party is corrupt to the core, and Dukwana's appointment will not bring any change or improvement to the province. The root of the problem lies, first and foremost, in the organisation.
The ANC has proven time and again that it will defend its policy of Affirmative Action (AA) and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) at all costs.
This is largely for personal gain, even though it is to the detriment of service delivery. And the Free State is no exception.
Dukwana, who previously served as the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in the Free State, was unable to improve any of the municipalities in the province.
On the contrary, provincial interventions at various municipalities failed due to ANC incompetence.
The decay is evident in the province's municipalities where services have become the exception rather than the rule.
The province's road network is one of the worst in the country. Healthcare is under pressure due to poor management, while hospitals and clinics are not maintained.
The unemployment rate, especially among the youth, is sky-high. The poor are getting poorer while a small elite is getting richer under the guise of BEE.
In reality, cadre cartels – which are no more than a network of ANC connections – are the ones who get government contracts but deliver no value for money.
These failed contracts cost the people of the Free State dearly.
The FF Plus will keep a close eye on Dukwana as premier and will hold him and his party accountable for the state of the province.
The Free State will not improve as long as the ANC governs it.
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