ActionSA has noted the press conference held today by the ANC in Tshwane, in which it expressed the view that the 2022 appointment of the City Manager, Mr Johann Mettler, was irregular. While ActionSA acknowledges the ANC’s right to express its opinion, we also affirm that coalitions must make space for differing perspectives, provided this does not undermine stability.
The multi-party coalition in Tshwane has deliberated on this matter and noted concerns that the panel which interviewed Mr Mettler included additional panellists beyond what is potentially permitted by the relevant regulations. This procedural irregularity occurred during the term of the DA-led mayoralty.
Specifically, this concern relates to the interpretation of section 12(3) of the Local Government: Regulations on Appointment and Conditions of Employment of Senior Managers, 2014, which outlines the required composition of the selection panel for a municipal manager.
Similarly, in September 2023, a number of senior managers were appointed through selection panels whose composition may not have fully aligned with regulation 12(4), due to long-standing misinterpretations. These include key appointments such as the Chief Operations Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Audit Executive. In each case, the required appointment reports were duly submitted to the MEC, and no timely objections were raised by the relevant oversight authorities.
Concerns about the composition of selection panels were first formally raised by the MEC in June 2025, following the appointment of the Management Support Officer in February 2025, during the tenure of the current coalition administration led by Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya of ActionSA.
It must be noted, however, that the interpretation of the selection panel requirements has been challenged by a legal opinion sought by the City. Furthermore, this legal opinion indicates that any deviation in panel composition may not, on its own, constitute lawful grounds for the reversal of an appointment.
In the case of Mr Mettler, the appointment took place in 2022 and was duly approved by the MEC at the time. The legal basis for reversing such an appointment at this stage is therefore questionable. The same applies to the appointments made in 2023.
We further note the concerns raised by the ANC regarding Mr Mettler’s alleged lack of relevant experience and possible non-compliance with the requirements of the MFMA. It is important to emphasise that these matters have not been raised by the MEC and have not yet been fully deliberated upon by the coalition. That said, the legal implications of asking Council to reverse an appointment at this stage remain uncertain and would require careful consideration.
For this reason, the coalition has mandated Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya to engage with MEC Mamabolo on this matter, with the aim of clarifying the issues and identifying a resolution that upholds both the law and the stability of the City’s administration.
Her ongoing engagement with the MEC on senior appointments, as resolved by the Political Management Committee (PMC), is both appropriate and constructive. We urge all coalition partners to be guided by this resolution and to refrain from unilateral actions that may jeopardise the hard-won progress of this coalition government.
ActionSA’s position is clear and consistent: we will not support the removal of any senior manager unless there is a clear, lawful, and governance-based reason for doing so. This position reflects a core coalition principle that prioritises stability, continuity, and performance within the City’s senior administration.
ActionSA will not compromise the integrity of governance in Tshwane for the sake of short-term political expediency. We remain committed to a principled, lawful and stable administration that serves the best interests of the residents of our capital city.
ActionSA Will Not Allow Instability In The Senior Management Of Tshwane
ActionSA has noted the press conference held today by the ANC in Tshwane, in which it expressed the view that the 2022 appointment of the City Manager, Mr Johann Mettler, was irregular. While ActionSA acknowledges the ANC’s right to express its opinion, we also affirm that coalitions must make space for differing perspectives, provided this does not undermine stability.
The multi-party coalition in Tshwane has deliberated on this matter and noted concerns that the panel which interviewed Mr Mettler included additional panellists beyond what is potentially permitted by the relevant regulations. This procedural irregularity occurred during the term of the DA-led mayoralty.
Specifically, this concern relates to the interpretation of section 12(3) of the Local Government: Regulations on Appointment and Conditions of Employment of Senior Managers, 2014, which outlines the required composition of the selection panel for a municipal manager.
Similarly, in September 2023, a number of senior managers were appointed through selection panels whose composition may not have fully aligned with regulation 12(4), due to long-standing misinterpretations. These include key appointments such as the Chief Operations Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Audit Executive. In each case, the required appointment reports were duly submitted to the MEC, and no timely objections were raised by the relevant oversight authorities.
Concerns about the composition of selection panels were first formally raised by the MEC in June 2025, following the appointment of the Management Support Officer in February 2025, during the tenure of the current coalition administration led by Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya of ActionSA.
It must be noted, however, that the interpretation of the selection panel requirements has been challenged by a legal opinion sought by the City. Furthermore, this legal opinion indicates that any deviation in panel composition may not, on its own, constitute lawful grounds for the reversal of an appointment.
In the case of Mr Mettler, the appointment took place in 2022 and was duly approved by the MEC at the time. The legal basis for reversing such an appointment at this stage is therefore questionable. The same applies to the appointments made in 2023.
We further note the concerns raised by the ANC regarding Mr Mettler’s alleged lack of relevant experience and possible non-compliance with the requirements of the MFMA. It is important to emphasise that these matters have not been raised by the MEC and have not yet been fully deliberated upon by the coalition. That said, the legal implications of asking Council to reverse an appointment at this stage remain uncertain and would require careful consideration.
For this reason, the coalition has mandated Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya to engage with MEC Mamabolo on this matter, with the aim of clarifying the issues and identifying a resolution that upholds both the law and the stability of the City’s administration.
Her ongoing engagement with the MEC on senior appointments, as resolved by the Political Management Committee (PMC), is both appropriate and constructive. We urge all coalition partners to be guided by this resolution and to refrain from unilateral actions that may jeopardise the hard-won progress of this coalition government.
ActionSA’s position is clear and consistent: we will not support the removal of any senior manager unless there is a clear, lawful, and governance-based reason for doing so. This position reflects a core coalition principle that prioritises stability, continuity, and performance within the City’s senior administration.
ActionSA will not compromise the integrity of governance in Tshwane for the sake of short-term political expediency. We remain committed to a principled, lawful and stable administration that serves the best interests of the residents of our capital city.