News24.com | State completes opening submissions in Zandile Gumede corruption trial

Former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede.

• The State completed its opening submissions in the trial of former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede.
• Prosecutor Hazel Siramen said bank statements clearly showed a detailed flow of funds from the municipality to nominated accounts of service providers.
• The first witness in the matter, a senior official in the eThekwini investigative unit, is expected to take the stand.

The State completed its opening submissions on the second day of the corruption trial of former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and others in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban on Tuesday. 

Prosecutor Hazel Siramen said bank statements obtained as evidence clearly showed a detailed flow of funds from the municipality to nominated accounts of service providers.

"It further shows dissipation of the funds into the accounts of the co-accused and various other people and entities for the benefit of the accused persons, either directly or indirectly."

From all the records obtained through subpoenas, about 294 bank statements relate to approximately 910 bank accounts, Siramen said.

"The bank statements will show various payments that outline the offences in the indictment, namely racketeering, fraud, corruption and money laundering."

Siramen added that between December 2017 and July 2019, the four main companies allegedly involved in the corruption, who are also accused, would siphon monies to smaller companies and people.

READ | Zandile Gumede ran a corruption 'enterprise', State says in eThekwini trial – to ANC benefit

In one instance, the State allegedly followed a bank statement trail that showed that the deputy head of supply chain management, Sandile Ngcobo, benefited to the tune of R600 000, which went towards the purchase of a Jaguar F-Pace from his co-accused, Hlenga Sibisi, the owner of one of the accused companies, Ilanga Lamahlase.

The court heard that Gumede herself received a benefit of R2.8 million from Sibisi and others who were not disclosed to the municipality.

The State alleges that it identified a criminal enterprise, run by Gumede, former ANC councillor Mondli Mthembu, former City manager Sipho Nzuza, Robert Abbu and Sandile Ngcobo.

Siramen alleged that the accused used four companies over 36 months to siphon more than R320 million in Durban Solid Waste (DSW) contracts.

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The first witness, a senior official in the eThekwini investigative unit, is expected to take the stand. 

The witness is expected to provide evidence on the background to the initiation of a forensic audit, the investigation, the circumstances surrounding the awarding of the DSW tender, and the appointment of forensic audit and investigation firm, Integrity Forensic Solutions (IFS), to perform the work.

The case continues.