Former eThekwini municipality mayor and high-ranking ANC politician Zandile Gumede has pleaded not guilty to a charge of racketeering.
Gumede and 21 co-accused tendered their pleas before judge Sharmaine Balton at the high court in Durban on Monday.
The group faces multiple charges of racketeering, fraud, conspiracy to commit corruption, corruption, and contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act relating to a R300-million Durban Solid Waste tender awarded in 2017.
Gumede, who was arrested in 2019, allegedly received proceeds amounting to more than R2.8-million from the hand-picked service provider who won the tender.
Gumede and her co-conspirators are alleged to have acted in cahoots and siphoned millions of rands from the metro. The list of accused includes ANC councillors, senior municipal officials, service providers, and former municipal manager Sipho Nzuza.
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