Gumede fell foul of factional fights in KZN ANC – analyst

The removal of former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede has nothing to do with her competence or lack of it, but it is a faction decision meant to get rid of a Zuma-supporting member of the party.

Some political analysts in KwaZulu-Natal believe Gumede is a victim of factionalism between those who either support incumbent ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, or his predecessor, Jacob Zuma.

An analyst, Xolani Dube, from Xubera Institute for Research and Development, said there was no need to kick out Gumede for incompetence or lack of service delivery, as the ANC KwaZulu-Natal leadership claims, because she is not the municipality’s accounting officer.

As a proportional representation councillor, she was merely a party deployee with no administrative powers – unlike the city manager, Sipho Nzuza, who should have been fired if incompetency and poor service delivery were the issues.

The ANC provincial leadership this week fired Gumede and Msunduzi municipality mayor Themba Njilo, accusing them of incompetence and failing to deliver services to the people.

Earlier, Gumede was placed on special leave pending the party’s final decision regarding the charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering she faces emanating from a multimillion-rand waste removal tender saga.

But yesterday, Gumede maintained she was going nowhere and would write to the ANC national executive committee to appeal her removal.

Gumede is also the eThekwini ANC regional chairperson.

The mayor questioned the PEC’s decision to fire her for being incompetent – something she vehemently denies.

Dube said the ANC provincial leadership was non-existent. “There is a vacuum of political leadership in that province.”

The ANC provincial leadership thought they would use ethics against Gumede because of the allegations of corruption she was facing.

“We know that is not true. How can you remove someone who is not an accounting officer. Gumede has not executive powers to run the administration,” Dube said.

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