Zandile Gumede riots

Former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede / Image via: flickr

‘We can’t throw her away’: ANC on Zandile Gumede’s redeployment

Zandile Gumede was arrested in 2019 on corruption charges linked to a waste collection contract but was subsequently released on R50 000 bail

Zandile Gumede riots

Former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede / Image via: flickr

The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal is sticking by its decision to deploy former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede to the provincial legislature.

Gumede had her mayoral chain taken away after she and 17 others were embroiled in a R430 million corruption scandal, in connection with a waste removal tender.

The embattled politician was sworn in on Wednesday, 19 August 2020.

“After consulting with the national office, it was agreed that we should deploy Mam Gumede to the provincial legislature and Amon Zondi to the national assembly,” ANC KZN provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela said.

‘We think she can best do her work at a legislature level’

Speaking to ENCA, Ntombela said they saw it best to place her at the legislature. This is despite the party’s resolution to properly investigate any member accused of engaging in dubious activities.

“The NPA has not been able to proceed with the charges. As an organisation, of importance to us is to ensure the stability of the eThekwini metro and for it to function optimally as expected. It was best for us to remove her from that space of operations. We think she can best do her work at a legislature level”, he added.

ANC on Gumede redeployment: ‘We can’t throw her away’

Ntombela cited the party’s track record in taking action against members who face serious allegations. One of the latest so-called casualties is the mayor of uPhongolo municipality Winnie Nhlabathi who was given the axe on Saturday, 15 August 2020, after being accused of assaulting a 24-year-old man.

“We have taken action on some of our mayors and our speakers when they have been found wrong on the things they are doing…Those are instances where if we found that they are not able to work within the collective, they’ll be deployed”, Ntombela continued.

He said despite the cloud that still hands above Gumede, she remained a leader of the party and also referred back to the pending corruotion case, saying she is yet to be found guilty by the court.

“So as an organisation, we can’t throw her away…We thought that the best option at this stage was that we deploy her to the legislature”

The matter was again heard before the Durban Commercial Crimes Court in the beginning of July 2020, where it was postponed to September. In April 2020, the prosecution said it was not ready to proceed as it had to deal with information obtained from raids conducted at the properties of all the accused.