By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Police Service (SAPS) will conduct risk assessments on the witnesses testifying in the trial of former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede and her 21 co-accused.
It came after the court heard that a witness survived a shooting at her home over the weekend.
Gumede and her co-accused face fraud, corruption and racketeering charges in connection with a R320 million solid waste tender.
State prosecutor Ashika Lucken told the court that the police would take action in this regard.
However, Lucken warned it may take time: “The police action, then, is to do a risk assessment now, and they have been requested by these witnesses with regards to certain measures to be put in place. Obviously, that will take some time.”
Lucken said certain measures were expected to be put in place by the police to calm the situation down.
The defence supported the investigations into the threats by the police.
There were also some delays caused by the changing of legal representatives of two of the accused.
Though the matter was adjourned to Wednesday, the State believes proceedings will most likely only continue on Friday or Monday.
Ironically, on Monday, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development posted an invitation online, calling for public comments on the proposed reforms for whistle-blower protection regimes in South Africa.
“The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development invites interested parties to submit written comments on the Discussion document on proposed reforms for the whistle-blower protection regime in South Africa (discussion paper), “the DoJ said.