Nail CEO Saki Macozoma has warned the SA property industry to do more about redistribution and empowerment. This is three years after the same warning was issued by Johnnic chairman Cyril Ramaphosa and public works minister Stella Sigcau. 

The SA Property Owners' Association (Sapoa), the voice of commercial property in SA, responded to the first warning by saying the matter was "high on the agenda".  But despite there being a black Sapoa president (Denel Properties head Papi Mphahlele), a black operations director (Hazzy Sibanyoni) and some empowerment deals , Sapoa CEO Brian Kirchman concedes there has been no significant progress in property ownership or development - the heart of the business. 

Macozoma urges the industry not to be parochial. "Jazz up the industry to create more excitement and attract new people," he told the 700 Sapoa delegates gathered at Sun City last week.  Though fewer than 100 blacks were in the audience, Sapoa can claim, in all fairness, that it is trying to redress the balance. It has also made progress in representing women more fairly. 

The problem with black involvement in property is that, historically, culture and politics deprived almost all blacks of the property-owning tradition.  "When Papi Mphahlele became our president last year, we made transformation our main project," says Kirchman. "But few black candidates have come forward." 

The few who did contact Sapoa "didn't pitch up at our meetings", says Kirchman. SA's most successful black empowerment developer, Mvelaphanda Properties, chaired by Tokyo Sexwale, does not employ a single black person in the management of the company . 

An informal survey of developers at Sun City revealed there wasn't a single one doing business with, or talking to, a black property developer or deal maker.  They will, however, eventually come through the ranks of engineers, quantity surveyors and architects, where empowerment is moving swiftly, say some property people. 

The answer to this, says Macozoma, is for Sapoa to visit schools and universities, and to awaken young people to the wealth-building and creative excitement of property.  Macozoma urges the industry to support local government in developing the capacity to boost property development, and deliver property-related services efficiently and on a large scale. 

It must also put resources into supporting commercial property in black areas, " without which the sector will not develop well".  Macozoma points to the investments of the Transnet Pension Fund in Cape Town's V&A Waterfront and the Sentinel & Mines Pension Funds in Melrose Arch.

Both pension funds have many black members and Macozoma cautions: "This situation will produce its own politics down the line as the black members of these pension funds will argue that their communities do not benefit from these investments."