PRETORIA, Gauteng — The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tshwane has escalated its fight for municipal accountability by approaching the High Court on an urgent basis to overturn the controversial Johann Mettler suspension and demand a serious classification of Chief Financial Officer Gareth Mnisi’s alleged misconduct. DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink asserts that the municipal council speaker deliberately manipulated the voting process to secure these politically driven outcomes, threatening the financial integrity and rule of law within the city.
Brink characterized the procedural conduct of the council session as chaotic and deeply flawed. He noted that the meeting was convened on short notice without any valid justification for extraordinary circumstances, and councilors remained uninformed about the agenda an hour after the 10:00 start time. Discussions regarding Mettler and another official, Tumi, were delayed until 14:30. By that point, nine DA councilors and one Freedom Front Plus (FF+) member—who had initially been granted leave—had arrived and were prepared to vote. Rather than conducting a formal roll call or asking them to leave the chamber, the speaker arbitrarily deducted 13 votes from the opposition bloc that opposed Mettler’s removal and supported treating Mnisi’s charges as serious.
According to Brink, this unprecedented legislative maneuvering amounts to vote-rigging. When pressed repeatedly during the session to explain the vote subtraction, the speaker refused to provide an answer. Instead, officials from the speaker’s office later handed the DA a handwritten note confirming the 13-vote deduction. Brink emphasized that, absent this manipulation, Mettler would have retained his position, and the allegations against Mnisi would have been classified as serious misconduct.
The urgency of the High Court application is tied directly to the municipality’s financial calendar. At the start of a new financial year, tender processes are highly vulnerable. Mettler had previously flagged and blocked several irregular tenders, and his removal creates a significant risk that these financial irregularities will be swept under the rug. Furthermore, downgrading Mnisi’s alleged misconduct to a “less serious” category restricts disciplinary measures to informal outcomes, such as written warnings. This would legally prevent the city from dismissing him, even if he is found guilty of failing to declare financial interests or undisclosed ties to city bidders.
Brink drew attention to recent testimony from the Madlanga Commission, which included disclosed messages and evidence from Fannie Nkosi. This evidence reportedly highlights tender irregularities and raises profound questions about Mnisi’s financial interests and his relationships with specific companies bidding for municipal contracts.
In contrast, Brink dismissed the allegations leveled against Mettler by EFF MMC Obakeng Ramabodu as unsubstantiated “bare allegations.” Claims that the city manager was concealing a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report were categorically denied, as the report is currently under review by the President. Additionally, accusations regarding the dismissal of 44 municipal workers were unfounded; the administration was simply enforcing a court order that had declared a 2023 strike unlawful. Allegations of an unauthorized pay compromise with staff were also baseless, given that both the ANC and EFF were parties to the agreement.
Highlighting the political irony of the situation, Brink pointed out that the day after Mettler’s suspension, the city successfully won a court case against the “Rooiwal Five.” These senior officials were implicated in an irregular tender for the upgrade of the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant, which was awarded to Edwin Sodi and his associates. Mettler had fiercely insisted on holding these officials accountable, resisting intense political pressure from the ANC and EFF.
The DA leader warned that the current ANC-led coalition is exhibiting severe instability. Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya initially voted alongside ActionSA to issue Mettler a show-cause notice regarding his suspension, only to reverse course and vote against it in alignment with ANC and EFF coalition partners. Brink noted that his prior warnings about this coalition have now materialized: the halting of the Hammanskraal clean water project, the attempted reinstatement of the politically connected Rooiwal Five, and the removal of Mettler from office.
Legal proceedings are now underway, with court papers recently filed. Respondents have until Thursday to indicate whether they will oppose the application, followed by an urgent period for filing opposing affidavits. Brink concluded by stressing that regardless of political ambitions, a constitutional democracy demands strict adherence to procedural rules. The DA remains committed to seeking judicial scrutiny to safeguard the residents and financial future of Tshwane.