Myburgh Brink is a regular on Sectional Titles Online and he has completed a number of courses presented by Paddocks. We wanted to get to know Myburgh a little better, so we asked him a few questions about his career path and how he got involved in sectional titles.

On starting out
After finishing school in Caledon, more years ago than I care to remember, I did my military service in the SAAF. I had wild dreams of becoming a pilot but a bout of flu put paid to that. I was going to go to university full time but decided on part-time studying at UCT. I started out as an articled clerk. It was unfortunately at a stage where courses were being changed and merged and if you slipped up once it could mean repeating an entire course, and of course there was rugby in the mix as well.

Myburgh’s career moves
After completing my articles I moved to the Cape Technikon as assistant accountant and did a diploma course there in state finance. After three years, I was promoted to accountant, where I stayed until I took a package a few years ago. At times it was quite challenging working with academics on the one hand and students on the other (sometimes it was difficult to tell the difference).

Sectional title and Paddocks
In the early ’90s, I became a trustee. Those were the days when there was not much knowledge about the Act and rules, and those who had a copy (but had not necessarily read it) got away with statements like, “It says so in the Act” and everybody cringed. Not being very happy with replies like that and also somewhat inquisitive (sometimes too much for my own good), I started reading what I could get hold of, until someone suggested I get a copy of the Act. This was when I started realising what could and should be done – and what not. At that stage there was not a lot of educating taking place and asking too many questions was seen as interference.

This was until the Paddocks courses entered the scene and I started to get more interested (being retired, I had to find something to occupy my time) and started realising that the Sectional Titles Act is not the demon it is made out to be – maybe just a bit confusing and ambiguous at times.

Fortunately, there are now a number of presentations and seminars about sectional title that are very informative and a good place to swop ideas. It is just a pity that most of faces are the same each time.

On joining the Sectional Titiles Online forum, I realised that there are more schemes that have problems and thought it a good idea to share what I have picked up along the way through courses, seminars and speaking to others. I have also learned a lot through the forum as there are often different views on the same topic. It is good to see how different approaches can be used to resolve the same problem.

 

As for my favourite course, that is difficult to say as each one is unique in its own way, but the Law of Sectional Title Meetings course was a real eye-opener.

Hobbies
I do some photography (animals and nature) and I like hiking or disappearing into the bush for a week – no cell phone, telephone, internet or vuvuzela! I also do quite a bit of reading, which is increasing with all the rubbish on TV.

I also do a bit of DIY woodwork and I am contemplating painting my flat. At the moment, the entrance passage looks like an explosion in a paint factory with all the various colour combinations – maybe if I use enough samples I won’t have to paint the place after all.

On something funny about himself
When Marina Constas’ “Demistifying Sectional Title” came out, a friend mentioned it to me and, not realising it was not available in bookshops, I ventured into one to get a copy. I had just come from the dentist with a mouth full of novocaine and asked for the book. The assistant look at me quite strangely and asked me to wait. Next thing the manager came out and directed me to the adult video shop further down the road.