Nick Wilson

Property Correspondent

COMMERCIAL property association Sapoa has held out an olive branch to disgruntled participants in the property charter process.

Sapoa president Lynette Finlay said yesterday there had been a "communication breakdown" relating to property charter funding decisions taken by the property sector transformation committee and Sapoa.

"At the next committee meeting Sapoa hopes to resolve the problem and get everything back on track," said Finlay.

The property sector transformation committee is charged with drafting the property charter.

She said the commercial property association supported the property charter process but did "not want to dominate".

Last week the South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners announced it was pulling out of the property charter process, saying Sapoa was sabotaging the process and trying to be the dominant player.

Sapoa’s wish to bypass fund-raising procedures it had previously consented to and instead seek funding directly from its members caused the breakdown, the institute’s Andy Tondi said.

The institute said the committee had previously agreed that individuals and stakeholders would be approached for funding by the property- sector transformation committee.

Sapoa later sent out a letter saying contributions by Sapoa’s members for the funding would be managed by it and not the committee. Sapoa said at the time its members had requested it manage their contributions.

Finlay said Sapoa should have communicated to the committee that its members wanted to contribute through Sapoa’s structures.