OPPOSITION parties in eThekwini have welcomed the ANC’s decision to remove embattled eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede from office.
The underfire mayor was relieved of her duties as eThekwini political head by her party this week, bringing an end to a three month battle that has left the KwaZulu-Natal ANC structure in disarray. According to sources close to the PEC, Gumede was removed along with Speaker of Council William Mapena and Chief Whip Neli Nyanisa. In a media briefing on Tuesday, ANC Provincial Secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli, said exco members Zama Sokhabase, Barbara Fortein and former chief whip, Neli Nyanisa would also be redeployed.
He said the decision had been made after the ANC in KZN had been locked in a special meeting from Sunday until late Monday night deliberating on Gumede’s future.
He said the PEC acknowledged that eThekwini and Msunduzi municipalities where Gumede and Njilo were heads, “required urgent attention,” and the vacancies left by the deployed officials would be filled within seven days.
The Democratic Alliance in eThekewini welcomed Gumede’s axing saying the matter had dragged on for too long at the expense of the people of eThekwini. DA caucus leader Nicloe Graham said that Gumede’s axing was a victory for opposition parties and the people of Durban who had been calling for her removal for some time. Her sentiments were echoed by councillor Mdu Nkosi of the IFP who said that delays in dealing with Gumede had caused political instablility and compromised service delivery in the city. He called on the ANC to come up with trusted mechanisms to ensure the stability of council as Gumede’s supporters had vowed to make the city ungovernable if she was fired.
Opposition parties were of the opinion that getting rid of Gumde was only the first step in a much bigger web of corruption and maladministration, adding that more heads must roll.
Local civic organisation Save Our Berea (SOB) said the removal of Gumede and others was one step nearer to the people getting a Metro that is efficient, honest and corruption free. “In retrospect, the eThekwini Municipality has many honest hard-working officials whose reputation of delivery and care for the people is tainted by a minority who are only interested in enriching themselves. This is a healing process that makes the goal of eThekwini becoming Africa’s most caring and liveable city by the year 2030 a reality,” said co-founder Cheryl Johnson.
Long time critics of Gumede, Abahlali Basemjondolo Shack Dwellers Movement also welcomed the removal of the mayor, saying that it was under Gumede’s leadership that the City decided to spend millions of rands buying armoured vehicles, designed for war, to protect itself from its poorest residents.
Gumede who is currently out on R50 000 bail is facing fraud related charges in connection with R208 million Durban Solid Waste DSW tender and is set to return to Durban Commercial Crimes Court on 15 January 2020.
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