Zandile Gumede still angry at sacking was last to hand in resignation letter

Durban - Former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede was the last to tender her resignation letter on Monday as it emerged that ANC executive committee councillors in the eThekwini and Msunduzi councils had resigned from their posts.

It is understood that the embattled former mayor’s letter was the last to reach city manager Sipho Nzuza and the ANC KZN leadership.

Her supporters were apparently held up in a “final meeting” yesterday to deliberate the pros and cons of challenging the ANC provincial executive committee’s (PEC) decision to fire her, along with the rest of her executive committee colleagues.

The Daily News understands her supporters believe that if she took the matter to court and won her reinstatement, the ruling would also reinstate all the other ANC exco members.

“Now the question is whether she can still work with them (exco members) after so much backstabbing,” a supporter said, speaking on condition of anonymity

“The application will probably seek to declare the PEC decision unlawful and irrational, which inadvertently covers all the exco members.

“Is it worth fighting and liberating with traitors (councillors against Gumede), or should we focus on the regional conference to assist her to emerge and give her back powers to provide oversight in the metro?

“These are issues we had to deliberate on,” the supporter added.

Meanwhile in the Msunduzi region, some ANC councillors questioned the reason behind the elevation of one exco member to the position of speaker, while axing the rest of the ANC exco members.

“We were of the understanding that all exco members were redeployed. It was a shock to see one of them, Eunice Majola, promoted to speaker. The ANC has not - and probably will not - explain this to us,” said an ANC member who asked not to be named.

The removal of all the ANC councillors was announced by the party’s provincial leadership last week, after the party’s report on its assessment of all KwaZulu-Natal municipalities under its control. The state of affairs, including political interference in administrative matters, prompted the party leadership to prioritise the two municipalities in its interventions.

Gumede is facing fraud and corruption charges relating to a R208 million waste-collection tender, and she is out on bail following her arrest. She is due back in court in January.

While on leave of absence, she was reportedly still earning her over R100 000 a month salary. In her resignation letter to ANC provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntulion Monday, Gumede noted her unhappiness with the manner in which her sacking was handled.

Daily News