The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal said it stands by its decision to extend the leave of the eThekwini Municipal Mayor Zandile Gumede, by 30 days.
Over 21 people were arrested when hundreds of Gumede’s supporters blockaded the City Hall, closed off most municipal offices and clashed with the police on Thursday, demanding that she be re-instated.
The party’s provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli says, “You don’t have to go and trash the city, inconvenience city dwellers, inconvenience businesses, affect the economy and affect the functionality of the city because you want to see the Secretary General. That is irrational, if you want to see the SG go to the SG and that is why we are saying – it cannot be permitted that members of the ANC do what they did yesterday [Thursday] and not be followed by consequences.
“We are happy that the police have acted and others are arrested those arrest have our support because we cannot allow a situation where the city will be rendered ungovernable.”
The group of 21 that was arrested appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court and was released on warning.
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