Council serves Mettler notice
City manager Johann Mettler has been issued with a notice of intention to suspend him for alleged misconduct.
He received the notice on Monday, the same day the Hawks cleared him of any wrongdoing in a case involving the purchase of a Nelson Mandela Bay municipal building.
The case, which was investigated by the Hawks, was one of a litany of allegations brought against Mettler by mayor Mongameli Bobani.
Bobani claimed that Mettler had bought the Fidelity building for R33m, when property evaluators had listed its value at R27m, and wanted to know why the municipality had “overpaid”.
But the Hawks, in a letter to Mettler on Monday, said a senior advocate had decided on August 18 to no longer pursue the case against him “due to the fact that there does not exist any evidence for the court to reasonably convict yourself on any offence”.
“We now deem this matter as closed,” the letter reads.
Bobani laid the complaint
into claims of misconduct.
Bobani has accused Mettler of unlawfully extending the contract of communications firm Mohlaleng Media.
He also alleges that the city boss hired and fired senior staff unlawfully and misappropriated municipal funds on the city’s new accounting system.
The council will have to decide Mettler’s fate on receiving his response to the allegations.
Mettler said the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision not to prosecute him did not come as a surprise.
“The allegations against me were baseless and spurious from the outset,” he said.
“The NPA has, correctly in my view, declined to prosecute me as there was no evidence to support the charges.”
Mettler said this was proof that the truth and justice always prevailed.
“I am confident that all other charges against me will be similarly dismissed.
“I have no time to hold any grudges and just want to continue with my job, to contribute to delivering a city of excellence to the residents.”
Bobani did not respond to questions on Monday.