Pretoria - The DA-led coalition’s support for the appointment of former Nelson Mandela Bay city manager Johann Mettler as the administrative head in Tshwane was met with criticism from both the ANC and EFF yesterday.
The ANC caucus criticised the coalition for its previous record of hiring candidates who did not last beyond three years of their five-year terms.
The caucus was referring to the appointment of former city manager Dr Moeketsi Mosola, who was hired in 2017.
Mosola parted ways with the City two years later, after a fall-out with the DA-led coalition over a controversial project management contract awarded to GladAfrica.
The contract was flagged by the Auditor-General as being irregular.
Since Mosola’s departure the City has had several acting city managers, with Mmaseabata Mutlaneng being the latest to take charge of the metro in that capacity.
Yesterday, the ANC caucus elaborated on why they were distancing themselves from the process to appoint Mettler.
They said in a media statement: “We will not participate in the appointment of the city manager because we are aware that the DA has a tendency and record of bringing candidates that do not last beyond three years of their five-year term.
“We want to know why the so-called ‘clean’ DA insists on bringing a discredited Mettler as the City’s accounting officer. We know that Mr Mettler left his previous employment under a cloud.”
The caucus further vowed to continue to hold both the City’s executive and administration accountable in their day-to-day work.
The party also criticised the coalition for a lack of political management in Tshwane’s governance.
“In the last three months, we have seen a struggle on the composition of a panel to oversee the appointment of the city manager due to the turf war between coalition members.
“The DA elbowed Cope, the African Christian Democratic Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party out of this important decision of hunting (for) the next accounting officer and insisted on getting two seats in a five-member panel,” the caucus said.
DA mayor Randall Williams and his acting chief of staff, Jordan Griffiths, formed part of a panel which conducted interviews with shortlisted candidates.
The appointment was preceded by accusations against ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba that he had struck a secret deal with the DA to support Mettler’s appointment as the city manager of either Joburg or Tshwane.
It had been claimed that the agreement was in exchange for Mashaba having his former Joburg city manager, Ndivhoniswani Lukwareni, rehired to a position of his choice.
Mashaba declined to comment this week, saying: “There’s no need to respond to nonsense.”
The EFF, on the other hand, opposed Mettler’s appointment based on “criticism of unprofessional and unethical conduct levelled against Mr Mettler with his previous employer”.
At the time of going to publication, the council was yet to appoint Mettler, but Tshwane’s coalition government was adamant that it would recommend the permanent appointment of the city manager.
Williams said: “I am pleased to announce that our coalition government has come together to approve the recommendation by the recruitment panel for the permanent appointment of the city manager.”
He said the recruitment process for the vacancy was fair and transparent as the job forum was publicly advertised to attract skilled and suitable candidates.
He said the appointment was critical to the functioning of the metro which had been without a permanent city manager for almost three years.
Pretoria News