The Nelson Mandela Bay Council has suspended the metro’s Municipal Manager Johann Mettler for alleged misconduct. It has not been formally announced yet as it was discussed in a closed council meeting.
However, three different sources confirmed the suspension to the SABC.
Mettler was given a notice of intention to suspend him earlier in September. It relates to allegations of financial misconduct.
He was given seven days to give reasons why he should not be suspended. The Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Mongameli Bobani and Mettler clashed before while Bobani was still a councillor.
The allegations made against him by Bobani include the alleged unlawful extension of the scope of the communications contract with Mohlaleng Media and the misappropriation of municipal funds for the implementation of the municipal standard chart of accounting system.
Bobani says Mettler unlawfully increased the communications contract from R10 million to R28 million.
Sources in the council meeting say most parties called for Mettler’s removal, with the exception of the Democratic Alliance.
The official statement on the outcome of the meeting will in, all likelihood, be announced on Friday.
Mettler told the SABC through a telephone conversation that he had not been informed of the council’s decision and expected it when he reports for duty on Friday.
