Chaos at Moses Mabhida as Zandile Gumede supporters start violent protest

An ANC meeting at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban on Friday evening was disrupted by supporters of axed eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede, TimesLive reports.

The meeting, called to explain the decision to fire Gumede as alongside her executive committee, was reportedly descended into chaos after supporters of Gumede objected to the regional task team (RTT) which has been appointed to replace the municipality’s committee.

“While [provincial executive committee member Nomusa Dube-Ncube] was still verifying credentials, some began being chaotic and when she tried to discipline them, they became hostile towards her.

“Then they started to kick tables and chairs and the meeting collapsed because things became violent and bad,” an insider told TimesLive

It was reported on Friday that supporters of Gumede still want her to be the city’s first citizen and they want her to return as chairperson of the ANC in the eThekwini region.

Gumede was suspended and subsequently fired this week from her position following a two-day special meeting of the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC), which enacted the recommendations of the provincial working committee (PWC) that she be recalled.

Until two months ago, she was the chairperson of the eThekwini region, the ANC’s biggest region in the country.

Gumede is currently out on R50,000 bail after being arrested earlier this year on corruption charges related to a multimillion-rand Durban Solid Waste tender.

She was previously placed on special leave by the party for 30 days in June, which was then extended twice after the PEC failed to decide by the first lapsed date.