Durban - The SA Local Government Association has confirmed that former Durban mayor Zandile Gumede jetted to Cape Town on a first class ticket for the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Gumede, who is facing a raft of criminal charges relating to a R208 million Durban Solid Waste tender and is out on R50 000 bail, walked the red carpet, donning a Salga tag during the address.
Salga is a public entity made up of councillors and mayors from across the country to represent, promote and protect the interests of local government, according to its website.
The entity is funded through donations from the donor community for specific projects and receives an annual allocation from the National Treasury. It also accounts to Parliament.
Gumede’s attendance has raised questions by some, while the DA caucus leader in eThekwini, Nicole Graham, said President Cyril Ramaphosa should have not allowed her to attend SONA, given the corruption charges she faced.
“While President Ramaphosa waxed lyrical about cutting corruption and state corruption, the woman who brought eThekwini to its knees sat directly in front of him and applauded.
“If Ramaphosa was serious about corruption, he wouldn’t allow Zandile Gumede anywhere near a red carpet,” she said.
However, Gumede was unfazed by those who questioned her attendance, saying she had been elected and her term with Salga had not ended.
She said as Salga’s national deputy president, she had been invited by the Presidency.
Gumede said those who questioned her attendance were “jealous” of her because she remained in a high position.
“I was elected there not because I was a mayor, any councillor could have been nominated. So, having stepped down as a mayor did not affect my role as a deputy president.
“Yes, I flew first class because I am a deputy president. Everything went very well, I will continue to serve until my term comes to an end,” said a jovial Gumede.
Sivuyile Mbambato, the Salga spokesperson, said as long as Gumede was a councillor at eThekwini, she was still eligible to serve in her position.
“It is not for Salga to treat her differently from other councillors and office bearers. Gumede remains the deputy resident of Salga as elected in the National Congress held in November 2016.
“The presumption of innocence till proven guilty should apply,” he added.
With regard to flying first class, Mbambato said Gumede flew in line with the grading accorded to all office-bearers.
He said there was nothing different or special about Gumede flying first class. “There is grading that applies to all out presidents and deputy presidents; same as in government, MECs and premiers fly on a certain grading. It was not like she was treated special or differently.
“This has been a standard that applies to all our executive members and we must always adhere to until they are revised,” he said.