It will be a year before ousted eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and 20 others stand trial for alleged fraud, corruption and money laundering linked to a multimillion-rand waste collection tender.

The Durban high court on Monday set a possible trial date for July 18 next year.

The pretrial hearing could not proceed due to a request for further particulars and changes in the defence teams.

“The Zandile Gumede matter has been adjourned to November 30 for further particulars and pretrial,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Sipho Ngwema.

“Some of the accused changed legal teams, which resulted in the court being unable to deal with pretrial management issues.”

The 21 accused are facing 2,786 charges. The National Director of Public Prosecutions has authorised the addition of a racketeering charge against the accused.

The charges relate to a R320m waste contract issued by the eThekwini municipality in 2017 while Gumede was mayor.

Also among the accused are:

• suspended eThekwini city manager Sipho Nzuza;
• former supply chain manager Sandile Ngcobo;
• former eThekwini municipality senior employee Robert Abbu; and
• senior ANC councillor in the eThekwini municipality Mondli Mthembu.

Gumede was arrested in 2019.

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