Durban - Supporters of eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede gathered in Durban in preparation for a march to the ANC provincial office on Tuesday, demanding that the decision to place her on a 30 days leave of absence be reversed with immediate effect.
They also aggrieved by the provincial executive committee’s decision to disband the eThekwini regional structure whose term of office had elapsed last year.
Coordinator of Gumede’s support group Mzomuhle Dube said a decision to force her to take a 30-day leave was unconstitutional.
“The mayor is not formally charged by the party, and we do not know what investigation will be taking place if there any investigations at all or what decision is being actually prepared after the period of 30 days.
“We want the decision on the mayor to be suspended on the spot and we want the mayor to resume her duties as early as tomorrow,” said Dube.
Dube said the province should also clarify why it decided to disband the region.
Gumede’s supporter were dropped off by municipal buses at Durban’s North Beach where their march to the provincial office was expected to start.
Gumede agreed to a request by the province to take the 30-day leave of absence from city hall after she was charged with fraud and corruption with regard to a R208m Durban Solid Waste tender.
Both decisions to disband eThekwini Region, whose conference was delayed due to general elections, and to remove Gumede were taken at the special meeting of the PEC in Empangeni two weeks ago.