By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
City of Tshwane manager Johann Mettler has been placed on precautionary suspension, while suspended Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Gareth Mnisi faces disciplinary action.
The Tshwane council voted to suspend Mettler following a complaint laid against him by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
The complaint penned by EFF against Mettler contains allegations relating to procurement processes, labour disputes, appointments of senior officials and governance failures. It also refers to findings by oversight institutions, including the Public Protector and the Auditor-General.
Among the issues raised are allegations relating to irregular expenditure, the implementation of lifestyle audits, disciplinary action against municipal employees and the handling of procurement matters within the city.
The vote took place behind closed doors on Thursday.
Mettler will be suspended on full pay and an independent investigator will be hired to probe the misconduct allegations against him.
Council considered the written representations submitted by the City Manager in response to the proposed precautionary suspension process initiated in terms of Regulation 6 of the Regulations.
After considering the representations, together with the applicable legislative framework and the matters previously placed before Council, It resolved to place the City Manager on precautionary suspension on full pay pending the outcome of the independent investigation.
Fullview learnt that after the votes had been cast, and counted, the Speaker arbitrarily deducted 13 votes from various parties, reversing the outcome and paving the way for Mettler’s suspension.
Meanwhile following Council’s consideration of the Final Forensic Investigation Report into allegations of misconduct against Mnisi, it resolved to institute disciplinary proceedings against the CFO.
The Council determined that the allegations constitute less serious misconduct as contemplated in Part I of Annexure A to the Regulations. The disciplinary process will now proceed in accordance with the prescribed statutory procedures.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink said EFF proposal to suspend Mettler was in fact defeated on the votes cast.
“It is outrageous that democratically elected public representatives, chosen by the residents of Tshwane to represent them in Council, were denied their constitutional right for their votes to count in one of the most important votes before the Council, said Brink.”