Zandile Gumede trial: Top official scrambled to deliver basic services as dodgy contracts started taking shape

• A senior Durban Solid Waste official testifying in the Zandile Gumede trial says he battled to deliver services in Umlazi in December 2017.
• In the same month, his subordinate was securing new contracts that now form part of the corruption trial.
• He said municipal staff was intimidated by the workers of previous contractors during that period.

While a senior Durban Solid Waste (DSW) official was scrambling to get services to Umlazi in Durban in December 2017, his subordinate was overseeing contracts for service providers that are now accused companies in the Zandile Gumede corruption trial.

On Wednesday, the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban heard how the senior official in the upper echelons of the DSW unit tried to supplement the end of some refuse collection contracts on 30 November 2017.

This after his subordinates failed to work through over a thousand bid applications for refuse collection, leaving the city scrambling to provide services, particularly in Umlazi.

The contracts are ordinarily worked through a year in advance.

The senior official said that he was working on supplementing services with in-house staff from 1 to 13 December 2017, accused Robert Abbu, his subordinate at the time, was working on new contracts through the City's bid adjudication committee (BAC) using a section 36 clause.

Section 36 allows for the bypassing of traditional supply chain procedures in the event of an emergency.

Around 2017, Abbu was promoted to head of special projects, which stripped the senior official, presently testifying, of certain responsibilities, including the appointing of new service providers.

The contracts Abbu was responsible for form part of the corruption case against Gumede and others.

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The senior official said concerns were also raised by his superior at the time.

"My senior was concerned about the section 36 fast-tracking and sent the official an email on 3 December 2017 highlighting concerns."

In the email, the deputy city manager told the senior DSW official:

The email added the state of the contracts was "unacceptable".

The deputy city manager said: "As per our discussions several times, please ensure there is no irregular expenditure in your DSW contracts. You assured me you put in place measures when the contract ended."

The senior official testified he forwarded the email to Abbu.

"I sent it to Abbu because he was tasked to complete and assess the contracts. I also wanted to make him aware of the unhappiness of the deputy city manager."

The court heard some DSW contracts ended on 30 November 2017, with others coming to an end by 31 December 2017.

The senior official said during this period, they planned to supplement services to areas where contracts had ended.

He added Umlazi township was the worst affected.  

"This would be done through in-house services, where workers would be paid overtime to pick up refuse after they had completed their normal duties for the day."

This continued from 1 to about 13 December 2017.

Intimidation of staff

However, the in-house service almost immediately ran into problems after staff was allegedly intimidated by workers from previous contractors, the senior official said.

"It had its challenges. I was informed by a manager that there was intimidation of staff in these areas. I was emailed by the manager who said staff should be immediately pulled out due to safety concerns."

At the time, Umlazi in particular, was turned into a community engulfed in rubbish, as city officials had to clear refuse with an escort from the metro police and police.

This after reports surfaced municipal staff was being intimidated by business forums whose members threatened them at gunpoint.

Services in general in the city began to steeply decline in January 2018, when the four new contractors, who are also accused in the corruption trial, took over.

There were several instances of municipal staff being told to dump trash, even after collecting it in Umlazi.

Gumede and 21 others are accused of siphoning R320 million of public funds relating to the DSW unit.

The former eThekwini mayor is reportedly one of the masterminds behind the siphoning of public funds into the pockets of contractors, political friends and even the MKMVA.

While she resigned as mayor shortly after she was arrested, Gumede, who is now an MPL, continues to enjoy political favour in the ANC, evening winning the party's eThekwini regional conference.

She, however, did not take up the mantle as chairperson in eThekwini region.

The trial continues on Thursday.