‘Four more months of humiliation,’ says Gumede after postponement of her case

The fraud, racketeering, and money laundering case against embattled eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede has been postponed to January 2020 for further investigation.

Gumede said she was unhappy with the postponement because it meant she had to suffer four more months of being crucified by the media even though she was innocent.

Gumede told eNCA: “Our names are being tainted but they haven’t found what they’re looking for. They arrested us before. I feel bad because I thought they would charge us today. Four more months of humiliation as if we’re guilty when we’re not. It’s not good. I am tired of the way this is being reported by the media because you have sentenced me already even though you just heard that there are still no charges. Why are you doing that?”

Gumede faces fraud and corruption charges related to a R208 million Durban Solid Waste tender, News24 earlier reported.

Gumede and co-accused Mondli Mthembu, who handed themselves over to the police in May, are accused of using their political position to influence the awarding of the tender.

KwaZulu-Natal ANC secretary-general Mdumiseni Ntuli announced on Tuesday that Gumede’s leave of absence has been extended until the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC) meets again at the weekend.

Ntuli said the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) granted the extension for the seven days when it would meet again to hold discussions about the more than 30 municipalities run by the party in the province.

Ntuli said the agenda of the PEC’s Monday meeting was “very detailed” and dealt with “extensive” assessment of the municipalities led by the party in the province.

The secretary-general said the extension of Gumede’s leave of absence would not undermine service delivery in eThekwini because there was an acting mayor serving in Gumede’s absence.

He added that the extension should not be seen as a delaying exercise that would undermine the capacity of the city.

Ntuli said the PEC would convene this weekend to finalise Gumede’s issue, and that the ANC was concerned about its integrity and its reputation and how the party was perceived.

Ntuli said ANC members who had been part of the protests in eThekwini following Gumede’s suspension would be charged by the party.

Read more: Zandile Gumede’s leave of absence extended

(Additional reporting by Makhosandile Zulu)

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