Durban - The defence in former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede’s fraud and corruption trial has demanded to see an internal report from the city’s integrity and investigations unit, prompting a two-hour delay as State witness Mbuso Ngcobo retrieved the document from the municipality’s offices.
As the trial entered its fourth day in the Durban High Court on Thursday, Gumede’s lawyer, Jay Naidoo, sought to determine how the decision to launch a forensic investigation into alleged corruption involving the Durban Solid Waste contract was arrived at.
Under cross-examination, the first State witness, the municipality’s integrity and investigations unit head Mbuso Ngcobo, explained how, following an anonymous tip-off about alleged corruption, which was accompanied by a bundle of documents from a complainant, a series of checks and investigations had been undertaken by his unit before a decision to conduct an investigation had been reached.
It emerged that part of the information that influenced the decision to embark on a forensic investigation was a report compiled by the unit’s team, and this was the document Advocate Naidoo asked for, resulting in the lengthy break.
The case was then adjourned after the break and will resume on Monday.
In a Mercury report on Monday, public prosecutor Hazel Siramen told the court the State would present a volume of evidence, including 112 witnesses, excluding those who may testify, if required, on the section 236 statements.
It would also include documentary evidence showing that the procurement processes followed in the appointment of the service providers concerned had not been compliant with eThekwini’s prescribed supply chain management policies and procedures, as well as those stipulated in related statutes.
The volume would also contain evidence on the irregular procurement processes followed in the appointment of the service providers concerned, and the interference with the administrative process relating to the operations of the various units within the municipality with reference to the DSW tender.