Former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede. Picture: Nqobile Mbonambi / African News Agency
The corruption case against former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her co-accused has been postponed to 23 March 2021.
This is after the case had initially been postponed in September in order for the state to compile a full forensic report on the matter.
Gumede and 17 others – including eThekwini city manager Sipho Nzuza – made their latest appearance at the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday in connection with a R430 million Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender.
The former mayor stands accused of using her political status to influence the appointment of senior eThekwini personnel responsible for supply chain management, as well as legal matters and human resources.
Meanwhile in court, the state pushed for an adjournment while Gumede’s legal team argued that the case had been dragging on.
After postponing the case to next year, the court further ordered the state to be ready to serve the accused with indictments and if not ready, an inquiry would be held to have the matter struck off the roll.
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The former mayor’s supporters were seen outside the Durban court.
Gumede also stands accused of giving instructions to the bid specification committee, bid adjudication committee and the bid evaluation committee, despite the fact that mayors are not allowed to be involved in tender specification processes.
She was controversially appointed as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature on 19 August.
Her appointment sparked a national outcry with President Cyril Ramaphosa and the national structure of the ANC declaring that its members in public office had to “step down” from their positions if they were implicated in criminal cases.
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