Floyd Brink Biography
Floyd Brink is a South African politician whose appointment as Johannesburg city manager was recently declared unconstitutional by the court.
Floyd Brink, aged 40, currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the metropolitan area. Since February, he has been fulfilling the role of acting city manager, following the departure of Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni.
Brink has informed FM that Council Speaker Nonceba Molwele will eventually convene an extraordinary council meeting to conduct the process of electing a new mayor. The newly elected mayor will subsequently appoint a new mayoral committee.
He emphasizes that the council had successfully navigated through its “main strategic challenges” before Makhubo’s passing. These accomplishments encompassed tasks such as approving the budget and the integrated development plan, aimed at enhancing service delivery and infrastructure development.
Johannesburg plays a pivotal role in South Africa’s economy, contributing approximately 18% to the country’s GDP and nearly 40% to the Gauteng province’s economy.
The city’s budget for the year 2021/2022, amounting to R73.3 billion, primarily focuses on expediting service delivery.
Brink reassures that all necessary efforts are being made to ensure that service delivery remains unaffected. Ongoing initiatives in locations like Orange Farm, Kliptown, and Ivory Park will persist. Road improvements, enhanced public lighting, and attention to open spaces and streetscapes will continue. Measures to enhance traffic safety will be put in place, new social housing projects will be initiated, and upgrades to storm-water drainage systems are planned.
Brink concludes by affirming that there is a clear roadmap for achieving these objectives, and he is committed to overseeing their successful implementation.
Herman Mashaba, the predecessor of Makhubo, is making a fresh bid for the mayor’s office as the candidate of ActionSA. He has criticized the municipality for losing the progress he made during his tenure and is committed to continuing the fight against corruption and implementing lifestyle audits. Before becoming mayor in 2016, Mashaba describes Johannesburg as being in a state of decay and despair, grappling with issues such as a housing backlog and inconsistent essential services like water and electricity. He takes pride in the achievements made during his term.
Floyd Brink, who has spent the last three years working for the city, acknowledges that he understands what is required in terms of service delivery as the COO. While he refrains from directly responding to Mashaba’s comments, he emphasizes the importance of operational coordination within the city, overseeing 12 entities like City Power, Joburg Water, the Joburg Roads Agency, and Pikitup. Brink uses the analogy of Johannesburg as a large and complex ship that is challenging to steer and admits there is always room for improvement. He underlines the presence of institutional memory within the city and the importance of continuity, irrespective of his role as acting city manager. He assures that there is full support from the executive team, and there are no administrative bottlenecks.
Brink is determined to collaborate with the newly elected mayor and maintain a sense of normalcy following the unexpected passing of Makhubo. He is committed to the city’s well-being and ensuring that operations proceed seamlessly.
While the ANC has not yet announced its mayoral candidate, Jolidee Matongo, who served as a member of the mayoral committee for finance under Makhubo, has been rumored as a potential frontrunner within the party. The final selection is expected to go through a nomination process in the ANC Joburg region and subsequent recommendations to the national level. With 124 ANC councillors in the council, there is a wealth of potential choices for the position.
Court Declares Floyd Brink’s Appointment as Johannesburg City Manager Unconstitutional
The appointment of Floyd Brink as Johannesburg City manager has been declared unconstitutional and void.
In a judgment delivered on Tuesday morning at the Gauteng High Court, acting Judge Steven Budlender instructed the City of Johannesburg to nullify Brink’s appointment.
Brink’s appointment was made by the council in February, even though he did not meet the necessary vetting criteria.
Moreover, a forensic report commissioned by the city implicated Brink in various instances of misconduct during his tenure as the acting city manager. The court petition to contest his appointment was initiated by the Democratic Alliance.
Sage is a financial/consumer journalist and senior editor, personal finance, of TrendsHQ. EXPERTISE: Personal Finance, Careers, Jobs, Scholarships, and Entertainment.