Zandile Gumede gang pleads guilty

By Samantha Allen

Published: August 23, 2022 | 9:26 AM GMT

On Monday, the gang came before the Durban High Court and pleaded guilty to several charges.

FILE: On March 23, 2021, the former mayor of eThekwini Zandile Gumede and 21 other defendants appeared before the Durban Commercial Crimes Court. For a pre-trial hearing, their case was moved to the Durban High Court.

DUBLIN – Tuesday marks the continuation of the trial of former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her 21 co-accused for fraud, corruption, money laundering, and racketeering.

On Monday, the gang came before the Durban High Court and pleaded guilty to several charges.

Of the more than 2,700 accusations brought against them, they pled not guilty to more than 100 of them.

The claims include anomalies in a procurement for the management of solid waste in Durban.

Zandile Gumede and her 21 co-accused pleaded confessed to counts of racketeering on Monday.

They entered a not guilty plea to each of the state’s accusations.

The state, however, is certain that the defendants’ alleged acts were motivated by a single objective.

It claimed that the accused faced compelling defences.

On Tuesday, the indictment reading and plea negotiation procedure will resume.

About Samantha Allen

Samantha Allen is a seasoned journalist and senior correspondent at TDPel Media, specializing in the intersection of maternal health, clinical wellness, and public policy. With a background in investigative reporting and a passion for data-driven storytelling, Samantha has become a trusted voice for expectant mothers and healthcare advocates worldwide. Her work focuses on translating complex medical research into actionable insights, covering everything from prenatal fitness and neonatal care to the socioeconomic impacts of healthcare legislation. At TDPel Media, Samantha leads the agency's health analytics desk, ensuring that every report is grounded in accuracy, empathy, and scientific integrity. When she isn't in the newsroom, she is an advocate for community-led wellness initiatives and an avid explorer of California’s coastal trails.