Andrew Stegmann

SA property market grows to R5.8trn

Cape Town – The South African property sector is worth R5.8trn according to results from the latest study undertaken to determine the size of the country’s property sector.

The Property Sector Charter Council released a reviewed market size estimation this week that provides a snapshot of the South African Property Sector using figures from the financial year 2014/2015.

It reveals the property sector’s size at R5.3trn with a further R520bn land officially zoned for commercial and residential development. The study was compiled by MSCI for the Property Sector Charter Council.

This report builds on baseline research that measured the size of the property market in SA at a massive R4.9trn at the end of 2010. It shows a meaningful increase of nearly R1trn in four years.

The study also supplements the Property Sector Charter Council  SA Property Sector Economic Impact Report that estimates the property sector’s contribution to GDP at a significant R191.4bn in 2012 in terms of annual income and expenditure flows generated by the sector and a R46.5bn contribution to the fiscus.

The research is part of a larger project by the council, which provides a point of departure against which various transformation charter imperatives can be assessed.

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Andrew Stegmann

Zimbabweans abroad call for change

HARARE – Zimbabweans across the globe are speaking out against the current situation at home.

They’re calling on President Robert Mugabe to step down.

Around 11,000 people have signed an online petition, calling for change.

Activist Francisca Mandeya says 15,000 signatures are needed, before the petition can be handed to UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon.

Meanwhile, students at Wits University have also voiced their support for Zimbabweans. They say Mugabe has failed to protect the democratic rights of the country’s people.

Jamie Mithi said, “The Mugabe regime has no idea, it has no credibility. And truthfully speaking, it is an evil regime run by a mad man and a monster. That mad man has to go. So I’m asking for a favour from you to stand with Zimbabwe as they try to stand up for themselves. And what that means is calling personally at your level for Mugabe and his compatriot and Mugabe regime to step down.  I don’t think that they can be a new Zimbabwe if those old man continue to run the country. I think there’s a lot on investors waiting to come back to Zimbabwe.  I think Zimbabweans want to rebuild Zimbabwe but nobody trusts the Mugabe regime specifically. Whether it’s ZANU-PF or MDC.”

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Andrew Stegmann

Zimbabwean told Road Accident Fund doesn’t help foreigners

In November 2015, Zimbabwean born Innocent Ticharwa was knocked down by a vehicle in a hit and run incident in Addo township. Since then, he has been struggling to get compensation from the Port Elizabeth Road Accident Fund (RAF) office.

“I was crossing the road to where I was going to sell my brooms and mops. I just heard a heavy sound, then I passed out,” he says. “A passerby phoned the police, who in turn called the ambulance. I spent three days in Kirkwood hospital before being transferred to Uitenhage hospital where the doctors took an X-ray of my body.”

“I was eventually transferred to Addo hospital where four teeth were removed from my mouth … The doctors wanted to take all six affected teeth, but I begged them to leave the two that were not serious.”

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Andrew Stegmann

Tears at the airport as families denied boarding

Nearly two years after the implementation of South Africa’s regulations for travelling minors, travellers are still being denied boarding as foreign airline staff try to implement the unabridged birth certificate (UBC) regulation.

With effect from June 1, 2015, children travelling to, from and transiting through South Africa are required to produce an unabridged birth certificate.

An Inter-Ministerial Committee, last year recommended changes to these regulations but, to date, no change has been made.

According to Martin Wiest, CEO of Tourvest Destination Management, more than 30 people were unable to fly from Paris to Johannesburg last week as a result of the regulations.

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