Nelson Mandela Bay manager Johann Mettler was issued with a notice of intention to suspend him for alleged misconduct on Monday.
He received the notice on the same day the Hawks cleared him of any wrongdoing in a case involving the purchase of a Nelson Mandela Bay municipal building.
That case was one of a litany of allegations brought against Mettler by mayor Mongameli Bobani in July.
Bobani claimed Mettler bought the Fidelity building for R33m, even though property evaluators had listed its value at R27m.
But the Hawks said, in a letter to Mettler on Monday, that a senior advocate had decided to drop the case.
“On 2018/08/18 [senior] advocate Van Zyl decided not to institute any criminal proceedings against yourself due to the fact there does not exist any evidence for the court to reasonably convict yourself on any offence.”
The city resolved to buy the building to cut rental costs of R400,000 a month.
Mettler said he would consult with his attorneys on the notice of intention to suspend him.
The council, on Friday, took a decision that he be given seven days to explain why he should not be suspended pending the outcome of a full investigation into claims of misconduct.
Bobani has accused Mettler of unlawfully extending the contract of communications firm Mohlaleng Media.
He also alleges the city boss hired and fired senior staff unlawfully and misappropriated municipal funds on the city’s new accounting system.
Mettler said: “I am confident all other charges against me will be similarly dismissed.”
Bobani yesterday failed to respond to questions sent to him.
One less worry for NMB boss
Nelson Mandela Bay manager Johann Mettler was issued with a notice of intention to suspend him for alleged misconduct on Monday.
He received the notice on the same day the Hawks cleared him of any wrongdoing in a case involving the purchase of a Nelson Mandela Bay municipal building.
That case was one of a litany of allegations brought against Mettler by mayor Mongameli Bobani in July.
Bobani claimed Mettler bought the Fidelity building for R33m, even though property evaluators had listed its value at R27m.
But the Hawks said, in a letter to Mettler on Monday, that a senior advocate had decided to drop the case.
“On 2018/08/18 [senior] advocate Van Zyl decided not to institute any criminal proceedings against yourself due to the fact there does not exist any evidence for the court to reasonably convict yourself on any offence.”
The city resolved to buy the building to cut rental costs of R400,000 a month.
Mettler said he would consult with his attorneys on the notice of intention to suspend him.
The council, on Friday, took a decision that he be given seven days to explain why he should not be suspended pending the outcome of a full investigation into claims of misconduct.
Bobani has accused Mettler of unlawfully extending the contract of communications firm Mohlaleng Media.
He also alleges the city boss hired and fired senior staff unlawfully and misappropriated municipal funds on the city’s new accounting system.
Mettler said: “I am confident all other charges against me will be similarly dismissed.”
Bobani yesterday failed to respond to questions sent to him.
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