Ex-Durban mayor returns to court today

FORMER eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede will today appear in the Durban commercial crimes court on corruption charges.

Gumede returns to court uncertain of what will happen in her case, which was postponed in August to allow the Hawks to conclude its investigation.

The ANC member, who is out on R50000 bail, said yesterday that the last time she spoke to her legal team, they informed her that they, too, were in the dark about the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) intentions.

“When I spoke to my lawyers, they told me they had no clue about how the case would proceed, because the prosecution team has refused to tell them what their next move is. We will only know when we go to court,” Gumede said, adding the NPA was yet to serve specific details of her case.

As the hearing gets under way, there is widespread speculation that the NPA will ask for another postponement, as it is still to tie up loose ends.

In the last appearance, senior State prosecutor Ashika Lucken told the court there were 286 subpoenas, and used that as a basis to ask for a delay.

KZN NPA spokesman Natasha Kara, when asked whether they were ready to proceed with the trial, or would request another postponement, said: “The matter is in court tomorrow (Wednesday); kindly attend the proceedings to follow what transpires.”

Any further delays are likely to anger Gumede’s backers, who claim the prosecution of Gumede, former eThekwini deputy regional secretary Mondli Mthembu and a host of other accused, amounted to political persecution by the state.

Gumede was arrested in May last year.