Johann Mettler was accused of shielding officials implicated in the controversial tender and obstructing efforts to recover millions in irregular expenditure.
By Mapaballo Borotho

Tshwane City Manager Johann Mettler has been cleared of all 21 charges in an investigation into the controversial multi-million-rand Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant tender.
Mettler was accused of shielding officials implicated in the tender and obstructing efforts to recover irregular expenditure.
The allegations were brought by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the City of Tshwane.
The City of Tshwane’s failure to upgrade the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant has remained a dark cloud hanging over the metro, with no one taking accountability for its failures.
In 2023, the city came under fire after a cholera outbreak in Hamanskraal killed 23 people. The outbreak was believed to have been linked to contaminated water that should have been treated at the plant.
To this day, no one has been convicted or held accountable for the deaths of the 23 residents who died following the alleged exposure to contaminated water.
Phemelo Motene spoke to ANC councillor and MMC for Human Settlements Aaron Maluleke about the findings and what they mean for the embattled Rooiwal project.
“There was a myriad of allegations that came from the legal office of the EFF. Amongst those charges was the issue around the Rooiwal 5 that was suspended, the money that was spent paying the suspended employees. Approximately R37 million was paid to them,” said Maluleke.
R295 million was spent on the Rooiwal Wastewater tender process, and the City was supposed to recover around R150 million, which was never recovered.
Maluleke says the EFF acted correctly by bringing these issues before the council and asking for an investigation into the City Manager.
He added that the investigation also made it clear that clearing Mettler does not mean the problems that have been identified in the City of Tshwane should be forgotten.
Listen to the podcast for the full discussion.
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