DA welcomes reported arrest of four eThekwini Councillors

11 December 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in eThekwini welcomes the arrest of four further eThekwini Councillors, as announced by the Hawks today.

The four Councillors are alleged to have committed fraud and corruption in connection with the DSW solid waste tender.

62 Councillors were mentioned in court as having worked with former Mayor Zandile Gumede and her co-accused. All 62 remain in Council office and 58 have not yet been arrested.

The eThekwini Speaker, Councillor WeziweThusi, has failed to table any charges against these Councillors and they continue their work. This is despite numerous attempts from the DA to have the matter addressed.

Zandile Gumede has not attended an eThekwini Council meeting since the beginning of September, when her successor was elected.

It’s unacceptable that the Council is failing to act and allow almost half of the ANC’s city caucus to continue to work with such serious allegations against them.

Four arrests is good progress,  but it’s a drop in the ocean considering how much corruption exists. Zandile Gumede, Mondli Mthembu and their 62 colleagues must face the full might of the law, and must no longer sit in the eThekwini Council.

Tomorrow’s final Council meeting provides an opportunity for the city’s new Leadership- who promised a clean slate- to announce plans to act against those who have contravened the law.

Issued by Nicole Graham, eThekwini DA Caucus Leader, 11 December 2019