Cape Town — Emotions appeared to get the better of former eThekeweni mayor Zandile Gumede when she broke down in tears in the middle of her fraud and corruption trial on Wednesday.
Gumede is accused with 21 others in the Durban High Court on fraud and corruption charges in connection with a contract worth more than R300 million related to a Durban Solid Waste tender in 2016. The ANC fired her from her post as mayor in 2019.
The State had just agreed to a trial postponement when Gumede let out a loud wail, reports IOL.
“Ooh, my God I’d rather die instead of going through this. This prosecutor is playing games with me,” she is reported to have said.
After a 15-minute break, Gumede’s attorney, Jay Naidoo apologised for his client’s outbreak. He said it had to be understood that the trial delays were frustrating for the accused, who had to pay their counsel.
“We are asking that you put measures in place so that on Monday when we come back we continue and no time is wasted,” he said.
The latest postponement was requested by the new counsel for one of Gumede’s co-accused, Mthokozisi Nojiyeza, who had fired his former lawyer, Naidoo.
Judge Sharmaine Balton appeared to be frustrated by yet another postponement, saying: “The accused are paying a lot of money to their counsels. We can’t have this. These adjournments are a big cost to the public, the court’s time and the other accused.”
Naidoo and several other counsel had objected to the postponement, but others had agreed as had the State prosecutor.
The judge eventually postponed the matter to Monday so Nojiyeza’s new lawyer could familiarise himself with the matter,according to News24.
There have been several delays in the case, with no progress being made at all in the first week of court in November, mainly owing to Nojiyeza’s own absence.
The trial got under way in March and only three of 120 witnesses have so far testified, reports TimesLive.
Speaking to media after court was adjourned on Wednesday, Gumede’s spokesperson, Siphelele Jiyana, said: “Ma’Zandile is not at a good place emotionally or financially. Let me just be quite honest, just yesterday she borrowed money for her lawyers.”
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