Zandile Gumede, controversial former mayor of the eThekwini metro who was inaugurated as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature last week, was recalled after heavy pressure on Friday.
The decision was taken by the ANC’s provincial executive committee in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday morning, Mdumiseni Ntuli, the party’s provincial secretary, said at a media conference in Durban.
That was after a meeting with Gumede.
She was asked to stand back and first appear before the party’s provincial integrity commission. Gumede was also relieved of all her obligations in the ANC.
She and 17 other people are charged with fraud of more than R200 million.
Her redeployment from the eThekwini metro to the legislature has led to great controversy. There was also great unhappiness about this in ANC circles.
Friday’s meeting preceded the interesting meeting of the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) that starts on Friday afternoon. The committee’s decision is expected to be a hot topic at the NEC meeting.
Ntuli said the decision was in line with a decision taken by the ANC at its national conference at Nasrec in 2017 that any ANC member charged with criminal offenses should stand aside until the case against them is finalized.
Mike Mabuyakhulu, deputy chairman of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, was also recalled. He is also suspected of fraud and corruption.
She will still receive her full salary until the court case is finalized.
