Beleaguered Gumede to face additional charge
APART FROM adding another charge of racketeering against former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede, the State's amended indictment sheet Aalsoreveals that her friends will have to testify against her.
The new indictment, which the State made public yesterday, when Gumede and the others appeared before Judge Achmat Jappie in the Durban High Court, forced the court to postpone the high-profile corruption trial for the umpteenth time.
Gumede and her 21 co-accused, who include suspended eThekwini city manager Sipho Nzuza, former supply chain manager Sandile Ngcobo, Robert Abbu and senior ANC councillor in the eThekwini Municipality Mondli Mthembu, stand accused of corruption, money laundering and fraud.
Racketeering is when individuals conduct illegal business using a legitimately registered business but conceal movements of money and its sources. In the case of Gumede and others, the State alleges that companies such as Ilanga LamaHlase owned by Mzwandile Dludla, Uzuzinikele Trading 31 CC owned by Zithulele Mkhize and ElShadai owned by Prabaragan Priah were part of the racketeering enterprise.
The racketeering enterprise allegedly feasted on a R320 million waste tender issued by the eThekwini Municipality in 2017 while Gumede was the mayor. The State alleges that Gumede and people such as Nzuza abused their official positions to dish up the corrupt tenders.
“The State, represented by Senior State Advocate Ashika Lucken, handed in an amended indictment to the court with the addition of racketeering charges against the accused,” the State said. In the amended indictment, the State revealed that it had lined up 55 witnesses. Among those the State has listed as witnesses is Philip Sithole, a senior manager in the municipality. Sithole was perceived to be a lieutenant of Gumede.
The case was postponed to November this year to give defence lawyers time to to work on the new indictment.