Housing in Southern Africa May 2015

News

RE/MAX leads the way

L eading theway in estate agency transformation, Z Capital has acquired a 45% stake in RE/ MAX of Southern Africa. Chairman, Peter Gilmour briefed the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Zou Kota-Fredericks, on how this will as- sist the sector. Almost 60%of loans registered at the Deeds Office are going to the lower in- come and previously disadvantaged individuals. Around 30% of the RE/MAX mem- bership in Southern Africa consists of agents of colour, compared with the current industry number of 5%, reported by the Estate Agency Affairs Board. The Deputy Minister said, “We are delighted to see the RE/MAX trans- formation deal coming to fruition. It is our desire to see more and more transformation deals from the sector. Certainly, this would add immense value to our vision of cohesive and integrated society and human settle- ments we are striving to achieve.”

Peter Gilmour, Zou Kota-Fredericks and Adrian Goslett.

Gilmour said that the company will open an in-house Training and Li- cencing School for entrepreneurial estate agents this year. “RE/MAX will fully support the Estate Agency Affairs Board’s ‘One Learner, One Office’ ini- tiative and will use the Training and Licencing School to facilitate this pro-

gramme.” There are currently 38 000 registered estate agents in South Africa. A statement by Bryan Chaplog, CEOof the Estate Agency Affairs Board said, “The South African Property Sector Research Report 2012 esti- mated that the property market has been valued at R5 trillion.” ■

Rosendaal housing project The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Benedicta van Minnen, recently turned the sod for the City’s Rosendaal human settlements project, near Delft.

T his project will see the con- struction of 288 homes and forms the first phase of a larger integrated housing project in Delft. The Rosendaal human settlements project will provide 2 407 subsidised housing units. The first phase will comprise of two-bedroom, freestanding and semi-detached single and double- storey units. “The first 288 beneficiaries have been approved and are about to be contacted so that we can start with their title deed applications,’ said Van Minnen. The large-scale integrated proj- ect has been split into four phases, Roosendaal, the Hague (Phase 1), Eindhoven, and the Hague (Phase 2). Construction on the last phase of the Delft integrated project is due for completion in the 2017/2018 financial

year. The 288 housing opportunities have been allocated in accordance with the National Government’s subsidy criteria and the City’s Alloca- tion Policy. • Beneficiaries from Delft: 217 houses • Beneficiaries from Delft with disabilities: 14 houses • Beneficiaries from top 100 on the City’sHousingDatabase: 57 houses “Our integrated projects are not only about building houses. The aim is to build strong communities, with close access to the major transport routes, schools and public amenities and to enable access to economic and other opportunities. Integrated develop- ments such as this one, are abso- lutely key to creating a better future for our more vulnerable residents,” Ssaid Van Minnen. ■

From left to right: Michael Patel of the City’s Human Settlements Directorate; Sabrina Gympies, Ward Councillor; Charmaine Honey from the community; and Benedicta van Minnen – Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements.

May 2015