Pretoria - ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has refused to be drawn into allegations that he struck a secret deal with the DA to support Johann Mettler’s appointment as city manager of either Joburg or Tshwane.
It had been claimed that the agreement was in exchange for Mashaba to have his former Joburg city manager Ndivhoniswani Lukwareni rehired to a position of his choice.
Mettler, a Nelson Mandela Bay municipal manager, was in the running for the position of city manager in Joburg in March this year.
Yesterday, the Pretoria News reported that Tshwane mayor Randall Williams was expected to table a report seeking council approval of Mettler’s appointment as city manager at tomorrow’s council sitting.
Approached for comment on the allegations that he made a trade-off with the DA over the contested city manager position, Mashaba said: “There’s no need to respond to nonsense.”
A source privy to Mashaba’s “underhanded deal with the DA” said the leader’s alleged behaviour could stir a revolt within his party against him and some people within the coalition government of both metros.
Mashaba said: “Just quote me saying that I don't respond to fiction.”
A source said Mashaba and his party had blocked Mettler’s appointment earlier this year, arguing that the process to appoint him was flawed.
At the time it was reported that Mashaba and the EFF were both in favour of Floyd Brink being appointed Joburg city manager.
The source said: “It’s understood that in a recent heated meeting with the DA, Mashaba made a U-turn after the DA came with a sweetener.
“The DA asked Mashaba to agree to their preferred candidate in exchange for him bringing back his favourite former city manager Lukwareni to any position.”
It was alleged that the DA had given Mashaba a blank cheque in return for his backing their desire to appoint Mettler as the city manager in Joburg or even Tshwane.
On Monday, Tshwane mayoral spokesperson Sipho Stuurman said the recruitment process for the city manager was “fair and transparent as the job forum was publicly advertised to attract skilled and suitable candidates”.
He said he did not want to dwell much on the matter because it was not yet finalised.
The EFF in Tshwane said it was “vehemently opposed” to Mettler's imminent appointment. EFF regional leader Obakeng Ramabodu cited as reasons for rejecting the appointment “criticism of unprofessional and unethical conduct levelled against Mr Mettler with his previous employer”.
“Tshwane EFF cannot turn a blind eye on the multiplicity of allegations levelled against Mr Mettler which formed a basis for his suspension by his previous employer,” he said.
Mettler indicated in his job application that he had never been convicted of a criminal offence involving financial misconduct, fraud or corruption on or after July 5, 2011.
Pretoria News