THE witness currently testifying in the matter of the former eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede, and others revealed in court that she felt pressurised to implicate accused five in this matter.
This was during the trial of Gumede and 21 others, including the former city manager Sipho Nzuza.
The accused are facing charges which include conspiracy to commit corruption, corruption, fraud, money laundering, racketeering, contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act, and of the Municipal Systems Act, in relation to a R300 million Durban Solid Waste (DSW) contract.
After delays in starting the matter in the Durban High Court on Thursday, 29 February, it finally began just after 2pm.
The witness who was meant to bring complete documents in relation to what she was testifying on brought the complete documents on Thursday, 29 February.
The witness who worked at the tender office brought documents with the attachments as it was required. The emails were the ones she received from the investigating Officer, requesting some information from her.
"I provided all the information that was needed from me. I also sent an email to my supervisor, asking her for some information that was needed from me. My supervisor gave me the information that led me to come and testify," she said.
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She said at some stage, she contacted her union informing them about this matter.
Advocate Jay Naidoo then cross examined the witness based on her interaction with the investigating officer (IO).
Naidoo said the investigating officer sent the witness an email on 14 September, but she didn't respond until he sent her another email on 28 September and that was when she responded. He asked why that was the case.
The witness said the email didn't have details. She said it just stated that he wanted a meeting with her but didn't state why.
Naidoo asked the witness whether she felt ambushed to implicate accused five, Sandile Ngcobo. And the witness said she indeed felt abused. Accused five, Sandile Ngcobo, was the deputy head of supply chain management. However, the matter continues on Friday, 1 March.
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