Suspended eThekwini mayor returns to Durban Commercial Court on charges of corruption today

Thursday, 8 August 2019
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement

Suspended eThekwini mayor returns to Durban Commercial Court on charges of corruption today

The eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede will today appear before the magistrate, along with the chairperson of the ANC in eThekwini Region. This follows her arrest and serious charges on corruption. The charges relate to a R208 million Durban Solid Waste tender. She was released on R50 000 bail few months ago.

It is alleged that at least R37 million of that money had been set aside to provide water and sanitation to shack settlements. However it is alleged that Gumede, Mondli Mthembu who is the chairperson of Human Settlement in the City, and 7 more senior officials corrupted that money to enrich themselves. 

The elites in the ANC are enriching themselves by stealing from the poor. This is what they call ‘radical economic transformation’. Corruption has robbed many of us of the right to access basic services. Twenty five years after the end of apartheid we continue to live in shacks of indignity. We live in the mud like pigs while politicians enrich themselves and their family at the expense of the poor.

Many of our members live in life-threatening conditions in shack settlements. Gumede and company occupy the highest position in the City so that impoverishment, inequality and unemployment become permanent in our life time.

The politicians have spent millions of rands buying casspirs, armoured vehicles usually used in wars, to protect themselves from the people that they rule. When we protest we are murdered by the police and the private security companies. The izinkabi come in the night to assassinate those that speak out.

Abahlali will assemble at the City hall to express our demand that those who steal from the public, those who steal from us, are convicted and jailed. remain behind bars. We will be there despite the fact that her supporters continue to remain committed to the politic of violence and blood

S’bu. Zikode: 083 547 0474
Mqapheli Bonono: 073 067 3274
Nomsa Sizani: 081 005 3686