Still hanging about: Zandile Gumede with Fikile Mbalula. Photo: X
Despite being criminally charged and having to step aside, ANC eThekwini regional chairperson Zandile Gumede has been brought back by the party to campaign for it ahead of this year’s elections, while her trial is still taking place.
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula recently posted a photo on social media with Gumede, who was wearing ANC regalia, while attending a meeting In KwaZulu-Natal with the regional and provincial leadership.
In the post Mbalula said: “KwaZulu-Natal’s potential is truly unleashed with the ANC steering the ship.”
In another post, which showed Gumede at an official meeting with KwaZulu-Natal’s top officials, Mbalula said: “Today we met with ANC structures at the ANC eThekwini regional office. We are on the path of renewal and elections concurrently, and we are fine-tuning organisational processes within our structures as we work for decisive victory in the upcoming elections.”
Mbalula has previously repeatedly stated that party leaders charged with serious criminal offences will not be involved in important structures.
Last year, while speaking at the ANC Women’s League’s Winnie Madikizela-Mandela volunteer launch in Botshabelo, Free State, Mbalula said: “You must step aside and come back when you have dealt with your issues.”
Insiders said Gumede’s reappearance as a prominent ANC figure in the province was part of attempts to “neutralise” former president Jacob Zuma’s new political formation, the Umkhonto weSizwe party (MK), which aims to cut into the governing party’s Kwazulu-Natal votes.
Gumede was known to be a staunch Zuma ally and an effective mobiliser for the ANC.
She told the Mail & Guardian the ANC pronounced “a long time ago” that she should come back and work for it, adding that she was popular among its followers.
“What is nice in the ANC is that you do what the leaders tell you. When they told me what to do (campaign for the ANC), I made sure that I did that,” Gumede said.
“When they say I must take part again, I don’t have a problem and that’s why I am here working again.”
This is in stark contrast with the step-aside rule punted by the party, including its president, Cyril Ramaphosa, as integral to the ANC’s renewal project.
In August 2020, Ramaphosa wrote a letter to ANC branches citing the party as “accused number one” in state capture. He called on members charged with criminal conduct for corruption and who occupy positions of responsibility in government and in the party to insulate the organisation by stepping aside while their cases are being heard.
The step-aside rule was a resolution taken by the party at its 2017 Nasrec conference. The watered-down version later adopted by the ANC’s national executive committee stated that those charged with corruption and other crimes must voluntarily step aside, resolving further that the accused should face its integrity committee.
The resolution also stated that those affected cannot participate in any official party programmes or represent the party on any public platforms.
The ANC Veterans’ League president, Snuki Zikalala, said it was a violation of the party’s constitution for Gumede to be brought back.
Gumede was arrested and first charged in 2019 on a raft of charges, including fraud, corruption and racketeering relating to a R320 million Durban Solid Waste tender.
She is accused of personally receiving R2 881 350 in kickbacks for ensuring predetermined businesses benefited from city waste contracts. The ANC eThekwini region also received a R100 000 “donation” from three of Gumede’s co-accused.
The co-accused include former city manager Sipho Nzuza and other senior officials and councillors, all of whom are accused of inflating the contract from R25 million to more than R320 million.
After Gumede’s reelection as eThekwini chairperson, the ANC amended the step-aside rule to include a clause which stated that those affected could not stand for party positions.
Gumede told the M&G she had made her first public appearance after her time in political wilderness at an ANC event during voter registration weekend.
“I went again with comrade Zizi [Kodwa, national executive member and sports minister] as a deployee of the province campaigning to win by-elections and it went very well. I’m confident that people are very happy for me to come back.”
She confirmed that she would campaign for the party despite being subjected to the step-aside rule.
“Of course I’ll be campaigning as the chairperson of the region of the party. [On Sunday], there was a meeting where they were introducing 50 organisers to come and work with us in eThekwini and the entire province. So the meeting was not made especially about me,” Gumede said.
Leaders in the province — including Police Minister Bheki Cele, ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Siboniso Duma and provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo — have been trying to defuse the Zuma issue by publicly insulting the former president.
Gumede denied being brought back as a response to Zuma’s new outfit, saying she returned three months before the formation of the MK party.
Mbalula said Gumede was not suspended from attending ANC meetings, but only “stepping aside” from her regional chairperson position pending the outcome of her trial.
“Suspension is something following disciplinary action. The case is still [ongoing] and she is not on suspension, she is on step aside,” he said.
“We didn’t meet with Gumede, we met with ANC structures. She was elected as chairperson; she was in the meeting which we attended briefing the structures,” Mbalula said, adding those affected by the step-aside rule could still attend ANC meetings.
He also denied Gumede’s comeback was part of the ANC’s efforts to defuse the emergence of the MK party in KwaZulu-Natal.
“There’s nothing like defusing [the Zuma] issue — we are preparing our structures for elections and also for the rally which we will be having at Moses Mabhida Stadium on 24 February,” he said, referring the party’s elections manifesto launch next month.
The veteran’s league has not only called for those criminally charged to step aside, but has also emphasised that those implicated in the Zondo commission state capture inquiry report are not nominated for public office, including being representatives of the party in parliament and legislature.
“Rule 25 of the constitution is an act of misconduct; you can not represent the organisation once you have been charged by the ANC. If you are legally charged, then it means the organisation is suspending you,” Zikalala said.
“Currently, she’s on trial and what it means is that if you are on trial, you are suspended from all the activities of the ANC.”
He added that if the party was serious about renewal, then those implicated in any corrupt activities should be removed, adding that the veterans’ league would not accept Gumede’s return.
“It’s not an allegation anymore, it’s a fact that she has been charged. Why do you want to make her the face of the organisation when she is charged with corruption?” he asked
“It is not acceptable for society that a person has been charged for corruption, no matter how popular you are.”