"In the main, I want to clear my name - particularly on how I have been characterised and vilified, directly or indirectly.
"I believe it is important that I set the record straight as [the] first woman mayor of this beautiful city and [the] first woman chairperson of the biggest region of [the] ANC in South Africa," said Gumede, who held the position of ANC eThekwini chair.
"I won’t be silenced and I will not allow the truth to be made a first casualty of this matter," she added.
Gumede signed off her statement with "Mayor Zandile Gumede - eThekwini Metropolitan City".
She is currently facing charges of fraud, including over a R208m Durban Solid Waste tender. However, it was not this criminal case that saw her being removed from her post, but rather the poor running of city services - particularly refuse removal.