Durban — The Durban High Court heard on Monday that the wife of former City manager of eThekwini municipality, Sipho Nzuza would now be represented by advocate Jay Naidoo in the corruption, money laundering and fraud trial involving Zandile Gumede the former mayor of the City.
Bagcinile Cynthia Nzuza who is accused number 9 in this matter axed her lawyer last week because she claimed that he invoiced her an amount which was not what they initially had agreed on. Her husband and former eThekwini Municipality manager Sipho Nzuza is the third accused.
Bagcinile had told the court that she had applied for legal aid; however, she did not qualify and she had appealed. Judge Sharmaine Balton had told the court that Bagcinile would have to represent herself, however that changed. Naidoo would represent her pro-bono while the legal aid makes its decision. Naidoo is already representing Gumede and other five accused.
Balton said there was no clear indication on when they would know the decision of legal aid. “This morning further discussions were held in chambers that the appeal board of Legal Aid would sit to discuss your appeal tomorrow (today),” she said.
As the matter was about to continue after these announcements Balton asked why she could not see accused 21 Sithamone Ponnan as she had been following the court proceedings virtually due to being ill. However, Ponnan’s lawyer told the court that she was at the doctor.
Balton immediately stood up and said this was unacceptable as she expected all the accused to be in court and made an exception for Ponnan to watch the proceedings virtually. She adjourned the matter for two hours for this to be sorted.
After the long adjournment the court was told by Ponnan’s lawyer that she was still waiting for the doctors to examine her. The accused in this matter are facing charges that include conspiracy to commit corruption, corruption, fraud, money laundering, racketeering, contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act and contravention of the Municipal Systems Act worth more than R300 million relating to a Durban Solid Waste tender.
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