The corruption trial against ANC eThekwini region heavyweight Zandile Gumede has been set down for July 18 to August 25 at the Pietermaritzburg High Court, KwaZulu-Natal midlands.
Throngs of her supporters had converged at the Durban High Court on Tuesday morning where Gumede, together with 21 co-accused, appeared on charges relating to their alleged involvement in the R320-million corruption-riddled Durban Solid Waste tender in 2017.
According to the state Gumede, who was the mayor of eThekwini when she was arrested in May 2019, received kickbacks amounting to more than R2.8-million from the hand-picked service providers who won the tender.
Gumede, who is accused number one, ANC councillors and other senior municipal officials are alleged to have acted in cahoots and siphoned off millions of rands from the metro. Other accused include the service providers, including former municipal manager Sipho Nzuza.
Gumede, who is leading the pack to be re-elected as ANC eThekwini region chairperson in a conference expected to take place in April, has consistently maintained her innocence.
Mlungisi Mchunu, speaking on behalf of Gumede’s supporters, said the trial was meant to derail the former mayor’s political career and smear her public profile.
“We maintain that comrade Zandile Gumede is innocent and that the charges are politically motivated. The NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] has been delaying because they don’t have a case,” said Mchunu.
According to the indictment, the laundered money was apparently deposited into Gumede’s bank accounts, siblings, daughter, and other associates. This was done in eight separate transactions between late 2017 and 2019.
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