Purge the rot from eThekwini and KZN

ANC eThekwini chairperson and mayor Zandile Gumede was recently charged with fraud and corruption. The judge set bail for Gumede and her co-accused, fellow executive member councillor Mondli Mthembu, at R50 000 each.

The bail conditions include that they may not communicate in any way with witnesses or with anyone on the audit trail. In addition, the mayor may not interfere with administrative duties or heads of departments.

Gumede was instrumental in relegating the once powerful, king maker ANC region to a shadow of its former self. Membership numbers have dwindled and she continues with her purge, within the ANC and the municipality, of those who did not support her. Experienced, highly skilled ANC leaders were dumped in favour of dubious characters, whose only “qualification” is being her praise singers.

In the last election, the ANC has lost considerable votes in eThekwini and this trend will continue unless the leadership of the organisation acts. The morale of members is at an all time low. The survival of the ANC, in eThekwini and KwaZulu-Natal, depends how the ANC leadership responds to its weakest link, Zandile Gumede.

How can she remain as mayor or Mthembu remain as an exco member, with such strict bail conditions? I can only speculate that the delay in suspending Gumede and Mthembu, who is the ANC regional deputy secretary, is based on fear. It’s for this reason that we will have to wait for the courts, and not the ANC, to determine her fate.

VISVIN REDDY | Morningside