Marius Marais

CEO FNB Housing Finance 

Durban wastewater partnership marks ten-year milestone

A wastewater treatment project in Durban that was designed, supplied and commissioned by Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies South Africa (VWS South Africa) has been hailed as a prime example of... 

The market remains tough, Growthpoint warns

JSE-listed property company Growthpoint Properties says that the market remains tough, particularly in the office sector. 

R900m redevelopment of Rosebank mall ‘progressing well’

Planning for the R900-million redevelopment of The Mall of Rosebank and Rosebank Gardens is progressing, with preletting well underway says Hyprop CEO Pieter Prinsloo. 

Business park’s proximity to airport seen as a key advantage

Accessibility and proximity to Lanseria International Airport are two key advantages cited by new tenants of Investec Property’s newest industrial and warehousing development, Cosmo Business Park. 

Dipula says listing part of acquisitive growth plan

Property loan stock Dipula Income Fund (Dipula) has listed on the JSE in the ‘Financial: Real Estate Holdings and Development’ sector.  

R550m mixed-used development for Pretoria suburb

South African property investment and development company Atterbury is developing a mixed-use R550-million node, called The Club, in Pretoria. The development is set to comprise more than 30 000 m2... 

Commercial property conditions remain tough – Emira

Emira Property Fund CEO James Templeton says the underlying conditions in the commercial property sector remain tough.  

SA retailers as ‘robust and resilient’ as any globally

South African retailers, especially national operators are as robust and resilient as any group of retailers across the globe, says South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) president Greg... 

SA property services firm acquires Zimbabwe operation

Independent property services company JHI Properties has entered the Zimbabwean property services market with the acquisition of East African Properties, a company with an existing property... 

SA still short of technical skills, placement group states

Professional placement company DAV, which is part of JSE-listed Adcorp, says the country is still in a skills-short market in the engineering fields. 

Empowerment has to be driven from the top, Microsoft SA avers

Black economic empowerment (BEE) is a business imperative that is difficult to drive if the senior management of a company does not see value in it, says Microsoft South Africa MD Mteto Nyati 

BEE focus needs to shift from ownership to ‘real’ transformation

Sustainable Development advisory company Bravura Consulting says, although black economic-empowerment (BEE) now addresses seven elements, emphasis is still placed on ownership and management control.  

Foreigners showing interest in northern Joburg property assets

Increasing numbers of home purchases in the northern Johannesburg suburbs are being concluded by international buyers from China, India and other African countries including Ghana, Nigeria and... 

Green diesel – Neste Oil joins international algae research

It´s no easy challenge responding to the need for more energy, while cutting emissions and mitigating the effects of global warming. Nor is it always easy to develop other areas of technology that... 

Traditional models will not solve SA’s low-cost housing backlog

A start to answering whether social housing can be turned into a return-generating investment, instead of the loss-making and resource-draining property management issue that it is perceived to be,... 

South Africa’s first Green Index launched

Nedbank Capital has launched South Africa’s first Green Index, which serves as a benchmark for environmentally conscious investors.  

$165m Zambian business park project nearing completion

Liberty Properties has announced that the development of the $165-million Levy Business Park, in Lusaka, Zambia, is nearing completion.  

Afrox not receiving bulk volume allocation from refineries

Industrial gas and welding products group African Oxygen (Afrox) MD Tjaart Kruger says that the company had not received its bulk volumes allocation from refineries, which was causing problems for... 

Ekurhuleni unveils ‘aerotropolis’ growth and development vision

Ekurhuleni mayor Mondli Gungubele says the Gauteng city, which is home to the OR Tambo International Airport, is aspiring to emerge as an "aerotropolis" and will, thus, place efficient logistics... 

Aid group aims to drill 205 wells in 2011, eyes South Sudan prospects

The Joint Aid Management (JAM) water programme has provided more than 1 889 boreholes since it began drilling, leading to the provision of clean water for up to 3 000 people a well a day. 

Waste disposal issue becoming critical as settlements encroach on disposal sites

Waste disposal is a critical issue in South Africa. Landfills that were originally located in outlying areas, 30 years ago are now sitting alongside cities and informal townships that have... 

At last, the football authorities move to embrace goal-line technology

The ruling out of England’s Frank Lampard's goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, even though the ball clearly crossed the line, sparked a flood of calls for the introduction of a goal-line... 

Du Preez calls for economic Codesa to plot the way forward

Journalist and social analyst Max du Preez has called for an 'economic Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa)' to negotiate the way forward. “We will have to take as brave a step as we... 

I am not running a corruption-protection racket, says Sexwale

The Department of Human Settlements (DHS) reports that the fight against corruption, which affects taxpayers and the poorest of the poor, will continue to be pursued vigorously against any... 

SA needs to plan and build port capacity ahead of demand

If one considers port infrastructure investment models around the world, there is no absolute certainty for State funders, or even private ones, in investing, unless the return on investment... 

Siemens to set up unit to focus on industry clients

Global engineering company Siemens plans to introduce a restructured industry sector with a clear focus on industrial customers, in October. 

Maputo port exceeding master plan projections

Maputo Development Corridor planning director Rui Alfonso believes that the business plan of the corridor as a public–private partnership can work. 

Logistics key to unlocking big intraregional trade potential

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) says there is big potential in intra-African trade, as the continent depends on trade for economic development, regional or intraregional trade. 

Third phase of Melrose Arch residential component launched

The third phase of the residential component of Amdec’s iconic Melrose Arch mixed-use development has been launched. 

Public works programme created 600 000 work opportunities in 2010/11

The Department of Public Works (DPW) says that the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) continues to prove its viability as an important catalyst for creation of decent work opportunities. 

SA company developing Mauritius’ first regional shopping mall

Mauritius’ first regional shopping centre is being developed by South African property investment and development company Atterbury. 

Building of a new Madadeni shopping centre under way

Construction of the 12 500 m2 first phase of the new Meadowlands Crossing shopping centre, in Newcastle, KwaZulu -Natal, is expected to start in August, with trading scheduled to start as early as... 

NHFC to put up R39m for Soweto affordable-homes initiative

The National Housing Finance Corporation has agreed to finance 152 housing units to the value of R39-million for affordable homes builder RBA Holdings, to be built in Protea Glen, in Soweto. 

FNB undertaking energy efficient housing pilot study

FNB Housing Finance CEO Marius Marais says the South African housing market needs a new energy-efficient housing technology to provide between 600 000 and 1-million units. Government has set a... 

Joburg CBD, surrounds showing significant renewal

Research by Africa-based commercial property services group Broll has revealed that the Johannesburg central business district (CBD), Braamfontein and Newtown nodes are showing significant evidence... 

R280m set aside for upmarket Pretoria office park

Nedbank Corporate Property Finance has allocated R280-million to fund the cost of developing the A-grade Menlyn Corporate Park office development. 

Government aims to use property portfolio to stimulate transformation

Property Sector Charter Council chairperson Saul Gumede says it is critical that the Property Sector Charter is only a guiding document of how transformation and empowerment could be achieved in... 

The R40bn World Cup investment was money ‘well spent’

The 2010 FIFA World Cup, which South Africa hosted one year ago, was “R40-billion well spent,” adding much-needed infrastructure and contributing significantly to the country’s gross domestic... 

Water at the centre of service delivery protests

The South African Association of Water Utilities chairperson and African Water Association VP Duduzile Myeni says water has been at the centre of recent service delivery protests taking place in...