Durban - WHEN it appeared as if the death knell had been sounded on her political career, corruption accused former eThekwini Municipality mayor Zandile Gumede has risen like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes with her election as eThekwini ANC Regional Chairperson.
Gumede, currently facing a raft of corruption charges related to the R340 million Durban Solid Waste (DSW) municipal waste tender of 2017, emerged victorious after squaring off with incumbent eThekwini council speaker Thabani Nyawose for the chairperson position.
Her election as regional chairperson has been slammed by the DA in the city, who say it shows that the ANC is beyond repairable and that this brings her back closer to the city’s coffers.
Gumede, who is the incoming regional chairperson and her slate, which includes her deputy Thembo Ntuli, secretary Musa Nciki, deputy secretary Nkosenhle Madlala and Zoe Shabalala as treasurer, won a clean sweep at the ANC eThekwini’s 8th Regional Conference held at the Durban ICC over the weekend.
Mzamo Billy, DA Deputy Caucus Leader in eThekwini, said that they had noted “with extreme concern” Gumede’s election to the powerful position of eThekwini ANC regional Chairperson.
“Her election brings her back again closer to the coffers of eThekwini Municipality. It is a known fact that Zandile Gumede was a former mayor who faces corruption charges relating to fraud, money laundering and racketeering linked to the city’s solid waste management tender worth over R340 million. She faces a total of 2 793 charges, all linked to the solid waste tender.
“It is completely absurd that Zandile and her allies, who won all the top positions, have now been re-elevated to this powerful position. It is even more disturbing that the ANC in eThekwini, in its majority, can elect an individual that is alleged to have stolen much-needed millions of eThekwini municipality residents,” Billy said.
He said that they viewed Gumede’s elections as the final stroke, clearly indicating a serious and urgent need for the opposition in eThekwini municipality and the residents of this city to now urgently come together and defend the little that is left of the municipality.
Billy added that it was now even more clear that the ANC was not serious about dealing with corruption and corrupt individuals in particular and that the ANC could longer be saved and simply not an option for eThekwini residents.
“We will now enhance our efforts to speak to all opposition parties in eThekwini municipality and those who may want to strengthen efforts to safeguard the city’s coffers and prevent another possible takeover of compromised Zandile Gumede and her Zuma aligned RET allies in the city,” Billy said.
Gumede’s victory could, and if the ANC’s resolution calling for leaders charged with corruption and other serious crimes to step aside is upheld and applied consistently, see her victory parade short-lived.
Last week, Gumede insisted that if elected, she would then pen a letter to the ANC indicating that she would step aside, adding that it was not about her and that it was instead about the collective.
Now, the question confronting not only the ANC, but the watching public, is whether Gumede will keep her word and step aside in compliance with the resolution or if she will step up to the plate and take up the mantle bestowed upon her by the party’s branches.
The ANC was swift in issuing Mandla Msibi, who is charged with murder, with a letter demanding that he steps aside following his election as ANC provincial treasurer in the Mpumalanga province, following that province’s long awaited provincial conference in the first weekend of April.
The party’s Secretary General’s Office, currently manned by Treasurer General Paul Mashatile in the absence of suspended SG Ace Magashule and Jesse Duarte, who is on sick leave, did not mince its words when calling for Msibi to step aside or otherwise face suspension in terms of Rule 25.70 of the ANC Constitution.
It remains to be seen what the ANC’s position on Gumede will be, particularly now following her victory at the eThekwini ANC’s regional conference.
Political analyst Xolani Dube said that Gumede’s victory was a clear indication of the ANC’s arrogance and disregard for public opinion.
“These guys have their hands in the cookie jar. We as the electorate are docile, and this party is about control of the resources of the country. There is no step aside in the ANC, regardless of the different interpretations. They are all rogues.
“Former presidents of the ANC have referred to the ANC as a party of gangsters and hyenas. Do we expect any honesty from these people? The ANC has twisted morals. It is all about them,” Dube said.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE