The DA in Nelson Mandela Bay has called on the national Treasury to intervene after the city said suspended city manager Johann Mettler had no authority to testify for the state in the fraud case related to the metro’s bus system (IPTS).
In a letter written by councillor Retief Odendaal on Tuesday, he described the move by the city as obstruction.
The matter is currently before the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court and is set to continue in August.
On trial are former Laphum’ilanga director Mandisa Mkasa, former assistant director in the metro’s finance department Nadia Gerwel, businesswoman Andrea Wessels, her events company Zeranza, ex-Access Management CEO Stephan Pretorius and former EP Rugby boss Cheeky Watson.
They have all pleaded not guilty to 44 counts, including fraud and money laundering.
Odendaal’s letter comes after Mettler’s competency as a witness was questioned by the defence in court in December.
This was, however, preceded by a memo sent by then stand-in city manager Mbuzeli Nogqala to mayor Mongameli Bobani stating that the city had not given Mettler the authority to represent the city in court as he was on suspension.
Mettler was suspended in October for alleged misconduct. Odendaal’s letter was addressed to national Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane and intergovernmental relations deputy director-general Malijeng Ngqaleni.
“This makes absolutely no sense, Mettler initiated this, nobody knows more about that forensic investigation than Mettler,” Odendaal said.
“It certainly seems as if the new administration is either unwilling to deal with the matter decisively or endeavouring to be obstructive.
“National Treasury also had a vested interested because they facilitated the investigation. There was constant engagement with the municipality and Treasury on this matter.”
Odendaal said his concern was that the money in question was grant funding.
“What I am scared of is that we have gone through this whole process with the intention of holding people to account and we expect some further arrests and some recovery of some of the money that was stolen, but if the municipality is not going to act on their undertakings to national Treasury this whole thing will then fall flat, which makes a mockery of the forensic investigation that was done,” Odendaal said.
He said he hoped the letter would urge the Treasury to start a conversation with acting city manager Peter Neilson on the matter and for the Treasury to ascertain that the city was still “committed to keeping to its side of the bargain to see this thing through”.
“It makes no sense. If you have corruption at this level which implicates some senior officials in the municipality you need to make available all credible witnesses to testify so that justice can prevail.”
Treasury spokesperson Jabulani Sikhakhane said the department could comment on the letter only next week.