Joburg MMC Loyiso Masuku slams DA for ‘false claims’ over city manager appointment

Joburg group corporate and shared services MMC Loyiso Masuku has defended the decision to approve the recommendation to appoint Floyd Brink as city manager.

The DA alleged the council decision to appoint Brink, the second preferred candidate, instead of Johan Mettler, the first preferred candidate, was “done to placate the EFF, who played a key role in the ANC staying in power in Joburg”.

“During the recruitment of a city manager, as approved by council, the panel was apprised that Brink did not meet the minimum requirements of the job specifications, as advertised on August 12 2022, which mandated 10 years’ senior management experience — in this sense a senior manager as per co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) regulations,” said DA caucus leader and former mayor Mpho Phalatse.

The DA alleged Brink only had four years' experience as COO within the City of Johannesburg. While his CV listed his status as a “senior manager” for positions in Limpopo, it was discovered these did not equate to the same level as per Cogta requirements and he should not have qualified for the COO position.

Masuku said the resolution was as per the outcomes of a recruitment process, interview and selection panel chaired by Phalatse together with Leah Knott (DA) and coalition partners Funzi Ngobeni (ActionSA) and Michael Harris (ACDP) last year.

“The panel made a clear recommendation that should the first preferred candidate not be available to take up the position, the second preferred candidate, in this case Mr Brink, must be engaged and processes followed to appoint him as city manager,” she said.

Masuku said council had rescinded the decision to re-advertise the city manager post, “illegally obtained by Phalatse and Knott in August, which rendered null and void any decision that would have resulted from such a recruitment process.

“That Mr Brink qualifies for the position of city manager is not in question and that is why the DA-led multiparty coalition government, through the interview and selection panel it constituted, identified him as the second preferred to be recommended for appointment by council.”

She said before Brink's employment as COO on a four-year contract in August 2018, a position he held until July 2022, he was employed in the Limpopo transport department as a chief director from March 2011 to July 2018 and before that as a director from November 2007 to February 2011.

“In the recruitment, interview and selection panel report chaired by Phalatse, the panel stated, in support of its recommendation for Mr Brink as second preferred candidate for the role of city manager, ‘the candidate has more than 17 years of working experience, of which 14 are at a senior management level’.”

Masuku said Brink not only met the requirements but exceeded them, adding that the decision to appoint him and rescind the readvertisement of the position remained a council resolution.

“I have a responsibility to implement council resolutions, failing which we would be in contempt of council and going against the oath of office we took to serve and abide by the decisions of council and laws of the republic.

“The DA’s posture on the matter is aimed at further rendering the city dysfunctional through covert means and media sensationalism aimed at collapsing governance and service delivery in the city.”

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