Community members protest against Tshwane unlawful appointments, calling for accountability and urgent action to fix the City of Tshwane's service delivery crisis. Image: EFF.
(The Post News)– The Tshwane unlawful appointments saga continues to dominate political discussions as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Gauteng intensify their fight against the city’s leadership. The party accuses the metro of unlawfully appointing senior managers, including city manager Johann Mettler a decision they claim has worsened the City of Tshwane service delivery crisis and plunged residents into deeper hardship.
The Tshwane unlawful appointments saga continues to dominate political discussions as the EFF in Gauteng intensify their fight against the city’s leadership. The party accuses the metro of unlawfully appointing senior managers, including city manager Johann Mettler, a decision they claim has worsened the City of Tshwane service delivery crisis and plunged residents into deeper hardship.
EFF Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) Moleboheng Masoleng delivered the damning remarks during a heated sitting of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on Tuesday. Masoleng insisted that the appointments of section 56 managers—senior officials who include the municipal manager, directors, and heads of departments—were illegal and therefore invalid. She also noted that illegal manager appointments are more than just a simple administrative error. According to the EFF, they directly affect the city’s financial stability, governance, and service delivery—the cost is being borne by residents.
Additionally, the EFF called on Gauteng MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Jacob Mamabolo, to account for what she termed a “governance crisis.” She demanded clarity on what steps were being taken to review the appointments and reverse unlawful decisions.
City of Tshwane Service Delivery Crisis Worsens
The EFF has repeatedly raised concerns about Tshwane’s deteriorating service delivery record, citing water and electricity shortages, collapsing infrastructure, and growing unemployment. The EFF also argued that the governance crisis triggered by irregular appointments was at the heart of these challenges.
“Our people are tired of empty promises,”Masoleng said. She also highlighted that week in, week out , “communities are left without water for days, sometimes weeks; electricity outages have become the norm rather than the exception; roads are riddled with potholes; refuse collection is sporadic; and infrastructure is literally crumbling before our eyes.” She further asserted that managers’ appointments worsened the issue.
ANC Raises Alarm Over Johann Mettler Appointment
The controversy surrounding city manager Johann Mettler’s appointment is not new. The ANC in Tshwane first raised the matter in July, alleging that Mettler did not meet the minimum requirements for the position at the time of his appointment.
ANC Tshwane chairperson George Matjila argued that Mettler lacked the 12 years of experience required for the post, a fact he said should have disqualified him at the shortlisting stage. “He did not possess the required 12 years’ experience at the time of shortlisting and interviews. He only had 11 years’ experience, and this fact was overlooked by the selection panel,” Matjila claimed. “He should have been eliminated at the initial stage of shortlisting. His inclusion in the names of the shortlisted candidates is unlawful and irregular.”
DA Defends City Manager Amid EFF Gauteng Allegations
However, the Democratic Alliance (DA), which governs the metro, has dismissed the allegations as a politically motivated attempt to destabilize the city’s administration. “The Gauteng MEC for local government assented to the appointment of Johann Mettler and seven of the Tshwane’s other senior managers,” said DA leader in Tshwane, Cilliers Brink. “This is not about legality or competence; this is about the ANC coalition wanting to remove capable officials and replace them with pliant, deployed cadres who will do their bidding.”
Political analysts note that this dispute highlights a broader problem of governance in South African municipalities. According to Dr. Mandla Khoza, disputes over senior appointments often lead to paralysis at the local government level. “Whether or not these appointments are indeed unlawful, the bigger picture is that instability at the senior management level always has a direct impact on the city’s ability to deliver services,” Khoza said.
Civil society organizations have also urged the provincial government to release a full report on the legality of the appointments and to prioritize reform. “Transparency is critical to restoring trust between the city and its residents,” said community activist Lerato Nkosi. “If the appointments were irregular, then they must be set aside, and proper processes must be followed to ensure that only qualified, competent individuals occupy these critical positions.”
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