Gumede says DA is desperate to sow division
THE DA in ethekwini has accused Mayor Zandile Gumede of violating several municipal rules and has called on Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Nomusa Dube to investigate her conduct.
In a letter sent to Cogta on Friday – and released to the media – DA provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango called on Dube to establish an independent inquiry amid accusations that Gumede contravened municipal rules in her failure to appoint her deputy, Fawzia Peer, acting mayor during her absence this week.
The party has also called for an investigation into the appointment of Phillip Sithole as acting deputy city manager (DCM) of Economic Development earlier this year, and allegations that Gumede had offered permanent jobs to several groups of people, including those on the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
However, Gumede has hit back at the allegations, saying the DA is desperate to sow division within the municipality.
“The DA is desperate for publicity and will use every opportunity to try and do that, even without knowing all the facts,” said Gumede’s spokesperson, Mthunzi Gumede.
“They created sensationalism this week at the mayor appointing someone other than her deputy as acting mayor. They did so knowing the mayor was out of the country and so could not explain her decision. There is nothing wrong with what the mayor did and no rules were violated. The mayor also did not violate any rules by appointing Sithole as acting DCM, which was done with council approval in December, while the DA walked out of that meeting. Should we stop making decisions because the DA chooses not to be present?
It is true that the mayor is meeting with various groups of people, including those from the EPWP. But it’s not true that she promised anyone jobs or said they would be made permanent. All these allegations are aimed at discrediting the mayor and sowing division. As far as her relationship with her deputy is concerned, they have a good working relationship and there is no tension between them,” he said.
In her response, Peer described her relationship with Gumede as “professional”.
However, leading KZN political analyst, Protas Madlala, has called on the provincial ANC to intervene in the relationship between Gumede and Peer, saying there was a perception of tension between them.
“Their relationship is a forced marriage. It won’t work, forced marriages have no place in politics. The ANC created this situation and they need to step in and solve it before it turns into a complete crisis.”