In addition to its extensive network of offices around South Africa, the Pam Golding Property group has recently opened offices in France and Croatia, adding to its network spanning London, Holland, Germany, Spain, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland, the company revealed.

A key alliance forged seven years ago with UK-based global property giant Savills continued to pay dividends, PGP said, providing direct access to their substantial database of clients around the world.

Former executive director of Savills, Victoria Mitchell, who is based at Savills' London office and has been with the company for some 35 years, is a non-executive director of Pam Golding Properties, regularly attending board meetings at their Cape Town headquarters, and playing a key role in identifying strategic global markets and trends.

Mitchell was responsible for building and marketing Savills' residential business in the UK and launching numerous strategic initiatives, including the takeover of the Asian business of First Pacific Davies.

PGP's own team of staff in the group's London office works closely with Savills, focusing mainly on selling South African properties to the UK market - including South African expats - and other international buyers, as well as bringing UK properties to the South African market.

They also interface daily with Savills' representatives from other countries, providing them with instant access to a massive database of international clients, resulting in the successful referral of businesses between the two organisations.

In addition, the two companies' research departments are working closely together in developing a local, tailor-made research model to cater for the unique South African market.

Over the past two years, PGP said it has sold 750 South African properties at a total value of approximately 570 million rand to buyers in Britain and Ireland through its London office - opened almost 20 years ago in 1986 at a time when South Africa's image was at its worst.

PGP now sells properties to buyers in some 50 countries around the world, with annual international sales of approximately 1.0 billion rand.

Said Charles Weston Baker, director of Savills international residential department: "There is no doubt that South African properties are in demand, with UK and other international buyers increasingly turning towards the South African market. In this regard, we find Pam Golding Properties extensive portfolio of properties of vital use in meeting this growing demand."

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