Cape Town - The ANC’s Zandile Gumede, who is facing a slew of corruption charges, ripped into the ruling party’s contentious step-aside resolution – claiming it not only left her “out in the cold” but gave her sleepless nights.
She declined her nomination for provincial treasurer at the ruling party’s provincial KwaZulu-Natal conference that took place this past weekend.
“The step-aside resolution is a weapon to traumatise other people,” Gumede, former mayor of eThekwini, told Weekend Argus.
“It’s very painful to sit at home alone knowing that I’m capable and willing to assist society, but because of the step-aside resolution we are confined to sit at home,” she said, adding that she “can’t even” address the structures of the ANC.
“There’s so much... there’s so much damage that this step aside (has) done... It must be scrapped, it gives me sleepless nights.
“I don’t support it for myself, I don’t support it for my comrades, I don’t support it for anyone...it makes me so cross,” she said.
The resolution is expected to be a hot topic of discussion during the party’s policy conference later in the week.
Asking if she will take the ANC to court in an attempt to overturn the resolution, she said: “I’ll never ever make any court application about the ANC... That’s not what I was taught.. I was taught that even if my organisation did something wrong, it must be addressed within the structures.”
Gumede conceded that she will not put up a fight over the fact that she had to step aside earlier as eThekwini region chairperson.
“ANC comes first, as long as I’m still a member of the ANC, I’m okay.
“I’ve consoled myself and have dealt with it myself,” she said.
Siboniso Duma clinched the coveted chairperson title while Nomagugu Simelane was named deputy. The mayor of Kokstad, Bheki Mtolo, was elected provincial secretary and Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka, his deputy secretary. Former Newcastle mayor Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba was named treasurer.
Gumede said she’s happy for the new leaders, all part of the so-called “Taliban faction”.
“The chairperson is very young but he is not hungry for (a) position. Under their leadership, things will change in KZN. They are untouchable, they are gurus,” she said.
Last week, roughly four days before the commencement of the KZN conference, Gumede appeared in court with her 21 co-accused. They are all facing more than 2 700 charges of corruption.
The charges relates to the alleged irregular 2017 Durban Solid Waste tender to the tune of more than R300 million.
Gumede is expected back in court on Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing.
“I can tell you right now that I’m innocent, there’s no way that I’m part of supply chain processes.
“I also know that I have never met with anyone to discuss the tender, I didn’t even know that people sit in supply chain because through the MFMA we are not allowed to be part of that process, now how can I dare be part of giving out tenders or influencing or whatever?” Gumede asked.
Weekend Argus.