Durban - Suspended eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede will stay at home at least until the first week of August, the ANC in KZN told Independent Media on Wednesday afternoon.
Confirming that Gumede did not return to work when her 30 days leave of absence expired on Tuesday midnight, the party provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli said their work on the matter “is 95% or so complete” and the provincial executive committee (PEC) would meet in the first week of August to take a final decision.
Ntuli stressed that up until then, Gumede and her Newcastle counterpart, Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba’s leave of absence was extended.
“They remain on [a] leave of absence up until the PEC sits. You see the principle is that the PEC took a decision and mandated the working committee to do some work, until such time the working committee reports to the PEC, the decision of the PEC [to place them on leave] remains valid,” he said.
Their fate now remains in the hands of the all powerful final decision making body, the PEC, which he said will act with the best interests of ratepayers at heart.
“The working committee (provincial working committee of the ANC) will receive a report next week, discuss it and make a recommendation to the provincial executive committee. The PEC will be sitting in three weeks from now, in the first week of August and it will make a final decision on the matter based on the recommendations of the report,” Ntuli said.