Ntombela refutes allegations of intimidation, claims ‘malicious stunts’

Free State Premier Sefora ‘Sisi‘ Ntombela has come out with guns blazing to deny allegations of intimidating Free State Publishers and Editors Forum chairperson Lebona Lekoena, who accused Ntombela of threatening to assassinate him.

This comes after Lekoena, alleged that Ntombela pulled threats over the credits for a ‘standoff’ Media Indaba, which has set the tongues wagging.

Under-fire Lekoena is adamant that Ntombela, whom they don’t see eye-to-eye wanted to forcefully snaffle his idea of Free State’s first media conference, where media houses across the province will convene under the same roof.

“Premier Ntombela claimed that I’m not the inventor of the idea, instead the idea was hers which she presented in 2018, during her tabling of the State of the Province Address (SOPA) of which is a lie,” said the aggravated Lekoena.

“She then asked me do I want money or do I want to die. Why I refuse so much with this idea,” he added.

Responding to the allegations, Ntombela through her spokesperson Palesa Chubisi refuted the claims and said the Premier is not aware of the merits of the case opened, as it previously announced that the Hawks in the province are probing the matter.

“Office of the Premier, and the Premier herself, is not aware of any case of intimidation opened against her, we have learnt of such reports from the media.

“We are not of any merits or demerits of a case opened as it is, however, if that is the case, we will give the law authorities to look into the matter and give them necessary space to allow the legal processes to unfold,” said Chubisi.

The first inaugural, Media Indaba is scheduled to take place this coming Friday until Saturday.