Housing in Southern Africa

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July 2015
ED’S NOTES
AVERAGE CIRCULATION
(FIRST QUARTER 2015)
3768
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H OUSI NG
in Southern Africa
EDITOR
Carol Dalglish
ADVERTISING
Brenda Grossmann
BOARD MEMBER
Jenny Warwick
PUBLISHER
Karen Grant
DESIGN
Colin Mazibuko
CIRCULATION
Karen Smith
Govan Mbeki Awards 2014 - Best Media - Housing in Southern Africa
Carol Dalglish • Editor
NURCHA’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!
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.