Free State premier Sisi Ntombela yesterday dropped a bombshell as she disclosed how secret plots were hatched to disrupt President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidential imbizo in the Free State yesterday.
Addressing the event in Bloemfontein yesterday, Ntombela said she had warned the president about the threats, which included staging protests at a Bloemfontein venue where Ramaphosa was scheduled to speak.
Ntombela told a bemused gathering, which included several members of Ramaphosa’s cabinet such as Police Minister Bheki Cele and Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, that the threats included mobs who would throw insults at Ramaphosa.
“President, I was listening to you carefully when we were discussing plans and preparations for you to come here in Mangaung in the Free State. I listened to you properly when thoughts emerged that you should not come to Mangaung now as things were not fine,” Ntombela said as she addressed Ramaphosa.
“There were thoughts flying around that you will meet with people who will insult you, as things were not fine in the Free State. Some will try to disturb and stop your imbizo.”
She continued: “I listened to you when you responded and said that this is the time for you to come to Mangaung as the community has been at pains and crying about service delivery. Mangaung is dirty, and infested with potholes and drugs. You said you are
coming to help the Free State government to deal with service delivery issues, and even if the people were going to stone you with rocks, you chose to come to Mangaung to help our people. I said to myself that here we have a leader who does not back down when things are hectic.”
Ntombela, however, did not disclose the identity of the people allegedly behind the planned disruptions. Her remarks also took several of her MECs by surprise.
Ramaphosa appeared unfazed and exuberant as he took to the podium. He asked police officers who had formed a guard around the podium to stand aside to show that people who were present at the event “won’t attack their leaders”.
A senior ANC provincial task team member who also serves as a MEC said there were unprecedented protests that had taken place just a few days before Ramaphosa flew to Bloemfontein.
“There were people who were not happy about Ramaphosa coming to the Free State and they started to mobilise protests from communities with the aim of embarrassing the government and ANC leaders in the province, including the president,” the official said.
“However, those protests died out on Friday. And on Saturday, there was nothing happening. You need to understand that there are factions within the ANC and protesters were mobilised by the anti-Ramaphosa faction. However, the attempt to embarrass him was dealt with by the security detail after measures were put in place,” the official said.
The MEC disclosed that “Mantombela did not share any details to the interim provincial committee (IPC) about the hatched plan to embarrass the president.
You need to remember that in the IPC, there are pro-Ramaphosa and those sympathetic to Ace
Magashule and this is the reason Mantombela did not say anything to us regarding security measures taken for the president and the imbizo.
“She only discussed that with the security cluster to avoid any information to be leaked. If she had shared details with the IPC, that was going to be a serious security concern around the president.”
A source close to the situation said Ntombela’s remarks followed a meeting this week, which was attended by, among others, Ramaphosa, Ntombela, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele and Free State director-general Kopung Ralikontsane as well as members of the State Security Agency, during which Ramaphosa’s security detail was discussed.
IPC leader in the Free State Mxolisi Dukwana said: “I believe that this issue will be better responded to by the premier, but we can indicate that as the IPC, this matter was not brought to our attention.”
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Zizi Kodwa said that the deteriorating levels of service delivery in Mangaung had led to the formation of pressure groups.
“We have been meeting with all the groups pre the imbizo. They all committed to saving the municipality from a complete collapse. The role of state security is to identify threats and risks to social stability and constitutional order and neutralise actions that could lead to social instability like violent protest over poor service delivery,” he said. “We also met with all the mayors and executive committee led by the premier to highlight issues of service delivery in each municipality that could lead to social instability if not attended urgently,” he added.
In January, Ramaphosa and his deputy, David Mabuza, had to be whisked away in Polokwane following a power failure during a party gala dinner at the Protea’s Ranch Resort.
Drama ensued as the security detail of the country’s first and second in command had to escort Ramaphosa and Mabuza out of the venue shortly before dinner due to the electricity outage.
Ramaphosa stayed in darkness for about 15 minutes and had to finish the latter part of his speech in darkness. At the time, Cele said that there had been a deliberate interference with the electrical system at the resort.
This newspaper has it on good authority that Ramaphosa was recently warned by his close political ally in a meeting at the Union Buildings about possible threats to his life, including poisoning.
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