Housing in Southern Africa July 2015

H O U S I N G in Southern Africa

ED’S NOTES

NURCHA continues to play a key role… In this issue of Housing in Southern Africa we focus on Nelson Mandela’s Development Finance Institution, NURCHA – the National Urban Reconstruction and Housing Agency - and the role it plays in providing funding to roll out hundreds of thousands of housing opportunities as it celebrates its 20 year journey.

THE TEAM

EDITOR Carol Dalglish housing@crown.co.za ADVERTISING Brenda Grossmann brendag@crown.co.za BOARD MEMBER Jenny Warwick

N URCHA’s role was clear from the beginning. This was to establish an institution that would provide finance to contractors in the lower income residential mar- ket. As government’s housing policies evolved and changed to deal with housing solutions, the institution adapted and proved they were up to the task. There were a number of key players who supported NURCHA - such as Jay Naidoo from the office of the Reconstruction andDevelopment Programme (RDP), international phi- lanthropist billionaire, George Soros, KhehlaShubane (NURCHA chairman), Cedric de Beer, Adél Struwig and Viwe Gqwetha, Managing Director – all of whom are passionate about the institution and its contribution to South Africa’s changing landscape. Read more about NURCHA’s ideals anddeals, what it has achieved, the highs and the lows as Gqwetha shares game changing moments in its journey. Housing Development Agency (HDA) CEO, Taffy Adler has resigned. Adler is well-known for his pioneering work in the housing sector. His ap- pointment to head up government’s human settlements land acquisition agency saw the HDA successfully exceed its targets and broaden its mandate. Since established in 2009, under Adler’s leadership the HDA has probably been one of the most dynamic, well-run government op- erations. Human Settlements Min- ister, Lindiwe Sisulu, has appointed Director General, Thabane Zulu, to fill Taffy’s big boots as Acting CEO till a replacement is found. We wish Taffy the very best in his next endeavour and happily he will not be lost entirely to the housing sector. FNB recently launched a new on- line property tool, the FNB Property Leader, which offers free, up-to-date information at the touch of a button. The site lists transactions, listings,

the value at which properties were bought and sold, the comprehensive listing of deeds office transactions, area values, and of course an on- line application for a housing loan pre-approval process. The latter, ac- cording to CEO of FNB Home Loans, Marius Marais, will help reduce the buyer’s gut-wrenching worry about the size of loan that will be granted as the bank will within minutes determine the pre-approval bond application. The Uber-trendy Cape Peninsula University of Technology student res in Cape Town has been successfully completed by the NNC Construction Group. The R51,4 million project will provide accommodation for 300 stu- dents. The project includes spacious lounges, study rooms, kitchen and bathroom facilities, the bedrooms overlook landscaped gardens and pathways that are linked to all the facilities. Finally, Dr AndrewGolding of Pam Golding Property group’s Residential Property Index shows that the lower end of the housingmarket continues to thrive. Although, we have been experi- encing intermittent internet email problems, please keep sending your news for inclusion in the magazine and website. Enjoy the read!

PUBLISHER Karen Grant DESIGN

Colin Mazibuko CIRCULATION Karen Smith

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Carol Dalglish • Editor

AVERAGE CIRCULATION (FIRST QUARTER 2015) 3768

Govan Mbeki Awards 2014 - Best Media - Housing in Southern Africa

July 2015