Councillors caution new Tshwane city manager not to interfere in politics

Newly appointed City of Tshwane city manager Johann Mettler received a lukewarm reception on Thursday with parties welcoming him but cautioning him not to interfere in politics.

Mettler started in Tshwane on September 1 after receiving the support of councillors for his appointment.

Thursday marked his first official council meeting as municipal manager. Prior to his appointment, Tshwane had been without a permanent city manager for three years.

ANC chief whip in Tshwane Aaron Maluleke welcomed Mettler’s appointment, saying he hoped he would be able to turn things around in the city.

“As the ANC we’ve looked at your credentials and you’re the most suitable candidate. You’re joining a city in a financial mess, a city that doesn’t care for employees, a city that’s cancelled all capital projects, a city unable to fulfil its constitutional obligations of providing services, a city struggling to pay Eskom and pay employees on time.

“What’s comforting is your qualifications and credentials tell us you’ll turn things around provided you won’t allow the DA to meddle in the affairs of the administration. If you start, that’s where you’ll have a problem with the ANC. In government sphere, political inference is a problem,” Maluleke said.

A seasoned legal guru who led one of the Western Cape’s best-run municipalities for nearly four years, Mettler holds a law master’s degree from the University of the Western Cape and Sweden’s Lund University.

He also worked as the municipal manager in Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape from 2016 when he came in as part of a national intervention by former co-operative governance minister Pravin Gordhan — which also saw Danny Jordaan appointed as mayor.

He was later appointed on a five-year term by the DA-led coalition government after the 2016 local government elections.

In 2019 he was suspended by the UDM-led administration under former mayor Mongameli Bobani before emerging two years later as an administrator in the embattled Lekwa municipality in Mpumalanga.

EFF regional chairperson Obakeng Ramabodu told Mettler they had rejected his appointment but were outnumbered.

“We won’t lie to you. We rejected your appointment but because of the majority that agreed you be appointed made us agree. If there’s anything we want to do it is to work with you. We researched about you from our comrades in Nelson Mandela Bay to brief us about you.

“We’re giving you a chance and giving you a chance doesn’t say we want to be your friend. Don’t allow politicians to use you. Randall Williams is a crook, so don’t allow him to use you,” Ramabodu said.

Human settlements MMC and ActionSA councillor Abel Tau said Mettler came highly recommended, adding he had spoken to former Bay mayor Athol Trollip.

“You come highly recommended and highly sought after. I sit with Athol Trollip and names being thrown out, and Trollip spoke highly of you and said you’re the man to respond to the myriad of challenges we have. The challenges need a man of your calibre. You’re touted as Mr Fix and I hope you live up to the name.”

nkosin@sowetan.co.za