THE National Prosecuting Authority has confirmed that the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shamila Batohi, has authorised a racketeering case against former eThekhwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her co-accused.
Racketeering is the crime of participating in an organised criminal enterprise and carries a 25 year sentence.
“The state, represented by senior state advocate Ashka Lucken handed in an amended indictment to the court with the addition of racketeering charges against the accused,” said KwaZulu-Natal DPP spokesperson Natasha Kara.
On Monday, Gumede appeared again in the High Court in Pietermaritzburg.
She and her 21 co-accused appeared for pre-trial proceedings.
Gumede faces a raft of charges that include fraud, money laundering, and racketeering.
She has been implicated in the R430-million Durban solid waste tender scandal.
Gumede is currently out on R50 000 bail.
After the judge had gone through his diary, he ruled that the next hearing would be November 30.
He set July 18 next year as the possible date.
The postponement left Gumede’s supporters, who were outside the court, angered and fuming.
Their spokesperson, Ntando Khuzwayo, said he was not surprised that the matter has been pushed back once more.
He said the case was politically motivated.
- Inside Politics
