The corruption case against former mayor of eThekwini municipality Zandile Gumede recommenced on Monday morning at the Durban High Court, with the State saying it wants to investigate the medical record of one of her co-accused after he suffered from a fracture of part of his spine and ribs.
Gumede’s co-accused, Allan Robert Abbu, the former eThekwini deputy head of the Durban Solid Waste unit, is currently wheelchair-bound. He was present in court on Monday.
Abbu, Gumede, and 20 others are facing multiple charges, including money laundering, racketeering, corruption, and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act and the Municipal Systems Act, related to a R300 million Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender.
The counsel appointed by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), advocate Reshma Athmaram, told the court that the State had preliminary concerns with regards to Abbu.
She said the defence alerted them on Monday morning that Abbu had been in an accident, but said the letter from a surgeon did not indicate when the accident happened, but indicated that as of March 29, 2025, he is being treated for a neurological condition.
“The letter said he would require frequent breaks, medical management and rehabilitation,” Athmaram said.
She said that the State would want to be privy to the medication that Abbu will be taking so that they can do an investigation on whether he will be able to comprehend court proceedings and instruct his counsel.
“There is a request that he attend the court proceedings online,” she added.
Judge Sharmaine Balton said she would allow Abbu to attend the court proceedings online. However, she said the court was not in a position to decide whether Abbu can comprehend court proceedings or not.
Moreover, Athmaram gave the court an update about Zithulele Mkhize, the 13th accused in the matter, who has been attending court proceedings online due to medical issues. She said Mkhize was examined by the State at Addington Hospital.
“We still have to look at the report from the facility,” she said.
She said his counsel has not brought up a formal application regarding the way forward for him.
Mkhize has been attending court proceedings online, even during the previous session.
Meanwhile, Advocate Paul Jorgensen, who is representing Ilanga la Mahlase PTY(LTD), Hlenga Sibisi and Mzwandile Dluldla, returned to court as their defence lawyer.
In the previous session, which started in February 2025 and ended in March, Jorgensen’s clients had indicated that they could no longer afford his legal fees.
The trial continued, and the defence resumed its cross-examination of the State witness who works as a contract administrator in the City. The media is prohibited from revealing her identity.
Meanwhile, Judge Balton did not indicate when she would announce her ruling regarding having reports and annexures about the appointment of Integrity Forensic Solutions CC (IFS) by the eThekwini’s Integrity and Investigations Unit (CIIU).
IFS is a forensic company that was outsourced by CIIU to investigate DSW tender irregularities after it anonymously received a stack of documents in its offices.
The trial continues.
