Durban - Judge Sharmaine Balton, presiding over the Zandile Gumede trial at the Durban High Court has appealed for order from those attending the case, including members of the legal teams and the public.
The plea was issued after a series of interruptions to proceedings, including cellphones ringing and whispers while the court was in session.
On Monday and Tuesday, the judge issued several warnings to the public after cellphones rang a few times, this after court officials had ordered that phones be switched off.
On Wednesday the judge had to call some members of the legal teams to order, complaining about how they were disrupting proceedings by talking.
She indicated that their noise made it difficult for many to follow the trial.
“We are battling with the sound here and talking during proceedings is rude and distracting,” she told the court.
On Tuesday when State witness Mbuso Ngcobo from eThekwini Municipality was in the witness box he could not be heard, and this prompted the call for a sound machine that would make him more audible.
Gumede and her co-accused, who include former Durban city manager Sipho Nzuza; former exco member Mondli Mthembu; Robert Abbu, who was DSW deputy head; and Sandile Ngcobo, the former deputy head of supply chain management; among others, face a string of .
These include conspiracy to commit corruption, corruption, fraud, money laundering, racketeering, contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act and Municipal Systems Act, amounting to more than R300 million.
The State alleges that eThekwini officials, including the former city manager and ex-mayor, circumvented the supply chain management processes on a Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender, for the benefit of identified service providers for more than R300m.
The case continues on Thursday with Ngcobo’s cross examination by the defence teams.