'eThekwini Mayor's leave of absence should be longer'

"I can't understand why the leave was packed into one month. It should have been a longer period of time," analyst, Imraan Buccus said. 

The eThekwini Mayor's 30 days of special leave ends today.  

The provincial ANC leadership's set to announce whether she'll return to work.  

Gumede, a councillor and a businessman are out on bail on fraud and corruption charges relating to a controversial multi-million-rand DSW tender.   

NOW READ: Mayor's office confirms Gumede on leave of absence

The ANC asked her to temporarily step aside - after meeting with eThekwini officials on the accusations.   

Buccus says the party leadership may find it difficult to act against Gumede. 

"It really makes it difficult - for the leadership to act against someone so powerful and has so many councillors around her and with all the dynamics of patronage stacked in her favour," Buccus said. 

ALSO READ: Criticism of Zandile Gumede matter not entirely unfair: KZN ANC

Meanwhile Fawzia Peer, Durban's acting Mayor, says police looking into whether she may have been poisoned at a council meeting - have interviewed her and a few colleagues as part of their investigation.