The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal said on Monday that the appointment of Zandile Gumede to the portfolio committee on co-operative governance and traditional affairs (CoGTA) was a display of arrogance by the ruling African National Congress (ANC). 

According to reports, the ANC confirmed Gumede’s appointment on Monday. 

“I have seen the report from the chief whip’s office that they have allocated her to the portfolio committee. They replaced her (Gumede) on all the committees comrade Ricardo (Mthembu) was previously serving on,” ANC spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela told News24. 

The leader of the DA in the KZN legislature Zwakele Mncwango responded on Monday, saying: “In the event that information around her new role is true, this is the most shocking display of arrogance by the ANC. 

"The DA calls on Premier (Sihle) Zikalala to come clean over his plans in terms of Zandile Gumede’s role within the provincial legislature and to revise any plans he has of offering her a senior role.”

Gumede, who served as the former mayor of the eThekwini region, is out on R50 000 bail after being accused of corruption in her handling of a Durban Solid Waste tender said to be worth more than R400-million (about US$24-million). 

“The DA in KZN will never support Zandile Gumede as chairperson of any committee, let alone CoGTA, which is the service delivery arm of the provincial government,” he said. 

“This is also the same person who literally destroyed the province’s only metro. How then can she possibly be placed in charge of oversight across all of the provinces' municipalities?

“Not only has the premier acknowledged that Gumede’s appointment to the legislature is not ideal, he also promised the people of KZN that she would serve as an ordinary member and would not hold any position of responsibility,” Mncwango said.