The Property Pod podcast

South African property owners were out in force at Sun City last week, and The Property Pod was there – with Neil Gopal, Itumeleng Mothibeli and Palesa Phili joining us in our mobile studio.

The property entrepreneur who brought us the innovative Maboneng Precinct shares insights on the new BlackBrick hotels venture, which has emerged as Africa's fastest-growing apartment hotel network.

A strong proponent of women having a career, Pfaff-Karg discusses her journey in becoming a property valuations specialist and ultimately joining the Cape Town-based group.

Pam Naidu, director of sales and marketing at Durban-based Devmco Group, talks about the growth of the company, which is now playing a key role in the development of the multi-billion rand Sibaya precinct in KZN, and is also looking to expand into the Western Cape.

‘If you can … pick a topic that not only interests you but also has future relevance, it's really going to open doors for you,’ counsels passionate cyclist, multi-skilled engineer, property expert, lifelong student and newly appointed director for strategy and research at Cushman & Wakefield Broll.

There is a business case and a sustainability case for the different elements women bring, but we are underrepresented, particularly in leadership roles, says the chair of the Women’s Property Network.

‘I see a lot of South African investors who were very successful in Romania and around CEE, so I was thinking this is a good idea to raise awareness about our company and also more awareness about Romania,’ says Victor Căpitanu, co-CEO and co-founder of Bucharest-based One United Properties.

Dr Dirk Prinsloo shares insights on the new Urban Studies Shopper Index, which measures and compares shopper experiences in SA’s mega malls based on an analysis of Google Review ratings.

‘The IFC has never previously partnered with a bank on green finance beyond commercial properties. It's the first time we have the support for end-user finance, or, simplistically, for the customer opting to purchase an eco-friendly property’ – Kamini Ramsamy, head of credit at Absa Home Loans.

There has been an escalation in property sales, says Broll Auctions and Sales CEO Norman Raad, adding that ‘if the GNU works out and interest rates come down, there could be a tremendous uptick in investors looking at SA as a good place to invest’.

Evan Robins, listed property portfolio manager at Old Mutual Investment Group, shares insights into the sector's first-half performance for 2024 and weighs in on expectations for the rest of the year following the government of national unity cabinet announcement.

‘Don't just be influenced by what's put in front of you. Make sure you read the documents': Jackie Smith – head of Buyers Trust.

Its first citizen tells us why property investors should invest in the Mother City.

‘It's not all plain sailing. It is a big shopping centre to fix and to fill. But I think by the end of the year you'll notice significant changes, both in customer experience and tenant mix’ – Paul Gerard, MD of Flanagan & Gerard.

‘Unfortunately, it's unlikely to be in the US, as much as it would be logical… We are looking at other offshore jurisdictions. We will not share that destination or that particular deal until we have it confirmed’ – Geoff Jennett, CEO of Emira Property Fund.