Zandile gumede
Zandile Gumede trial: Court hears how contractors appointed
Former eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede, and 21 others face fraud, theft, money laundering and racketeering charges linked to solid waste tender.
Gumede and her 21 co-accused face fraud, theft money, laundering and racketeering charges.
Gumede and her co-accused face over 2,700 counts of fraud, theft, money laundering, and racketeering linked to corruption in the Durban solid waste department.
Zandile Gumede and 21 co-accused face fraud, theft, money laundering and racketeering charges linked to corruption at the Durban Solid Waste Department.
The court proceedings of the former eThekwini mayor and her 21 co-accused were adjourned after it was revealed that one of the accused did not have a lawyer.
The former eThekwini mayor, along 21 others, faces charges linked to the illegal awarding of a solid waste tender, saying the case was preventing her from executing duties as the chair of the ANC's biggest region in the country.
This was due to one of the accused not having a legal representative.
Zandile Gumede and her 21 co-accused are back in court in the Durban High Court on Tuesday with the State set to lead more evidence.
A state witness in the matter is expected to conclude his testimony. Proceedings hit a pause earlier this week as the witness was reported sick.
The former mayor and 21 others are accused of fraud, money laundering and racketeering linked to the Durban solid waste tender worth around R320 million.
The matter was delayed again amid safety concerns for some key witnesses - a number of whom are eThekwini municipality officials. Police are in the process of conducting risk assessments.
Judge Sharmaine Balton postponed the matter at the request of the State.
Following one of the witnesses in Gumede and her 21 co-accused's corruption trial surviving a shooting at her home over the weekend, investigating officers told the State that the other witnesses feared for their safety.
Her matter was postponed on Monday after a witness did not arrive in court. It is alleged there was an attack on the witness’s home over the weekend.
This comes after a witness set to testify on Monday had her home shot at, over the weekend.
According to the court, the witness, who was set to testify in the former eThekwini mayor and her 21 co-accused's waste management tender corruption trial, was unable to take the stand due to a shooting incident at their home over the weekend.
The Eyewitness News bulletin with Jane Dutton.
Former Durban Mayor Zandile Gumede has been charged alongside 21 others for fraud, corruption and racketeering pertaining to a 2016 Durban solid waste tender.
Jay Naidoo, Gumede's lawyer said that the court must be furnished with information regarding the appointment of the investigative forensic services.