SA Affordable Housing May / June 2017 // Issue: 64 | Page 15

COVER STORY
Two-bedroom unit.
Outdoor gym.
The affordable housing sector
is a huge sector that needs to
be addressed.
The team, from left Carina Neethling (property manager),
Chantal Moeller (quantity surveyor), Beyers Lategan (project
manager), Gideon van Tonder (property developer) and Erika
Sutton (managing director of Realgrowth Development).
He finds it stimulating to be developing in the affordable
housing sector and to tackle a housing segment that is
addressing the middle sector or the ‘missing middle’ as
it is known.
LAUNCHING THE COMPLEX
At the launch hosted on site, Rossouw thanked everyone
who played a role in completing the project on time. He
mentioned them all one by one from architects to
landscapers, health and safety consultants to the legal
team who ensured all agreements ran smoothly. “If the
agreements weren’t right this day would not have been
possible,” he says.
Chris Rossouw (Snr), who is also part of the family
business that builds and manages properties, described
the project as a “wonderful monument”. “I take my hat off
to you [Charles] and the team,” he says. “Building is bred
into the Rossouw’s genes. We like to create and build. This
is a massive project that doesn’t skimp on quality. Look
around and see for yourselves.
“We try to optimise the space and deliver a quality
product using quality materials. We also make significant
effort in getting the right people involved,” says Chris
Rossouw (Snr).
It was unexpectedly announced by the rental agency that
the 100 units are fully occupied, and tenants already
moved in on 1 April. “Tenants for the 100 units were
secured all in one month,” says Jo-Ann Barvik, from
Rental Pros.
“We really owe you a big thank you,” says Charles Rossouw.
“We’re definitely ecstatic about achieving a 100%
occupation for beginning of April by the rental agency.
This mitigated the month lost to construction due to the
rains,” says Gideon van Tonder, development manager
for Realgrowth.
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Finding the right place to build such a complex takes
extensive geotechnical and other investigations. “It’s quite
challenging in Centurion because you have variable
ground conditions that makes it very important to choose
sites very carefully and specific for residential
developments,” says van Tonder.
However, finding the right spot and completing the
project is worth it. We are seeing an influx of people
moving into the city and Van Tonder believes Centurion is
a good place to focus on. “It’s a transport oriented node,
you’re close to the Gautrain, and you’re close to the
highway. It’s a very exciting area,” he says.
Realgrowth Development, co-owned by the Rossouw
Family and managing director Erika Sutton have their first
224-unit complex running successfully in Lyttleton,
Centurion. It features similar facilities as Limpopo
Valencia, with the difference of three play areas.
More properties are under development in this exciting
suburb. “We are targeting this and the greater Midrand
area. We currently busy with a 300-unit development not
far from Limpopo Valencia, of which the first 150 units are
estimated to be ready by end of 2017. We are working on
yet another development just opposite the Gautrain
station in Midrand, that will have 328 units,” says Rossouw.
Overall the company is targeting having 1 000 units in
Centurion and Midrand over the next three years.
“Realgrowth and its partners are all set up to achieve that
- and that makes it very exciting,” says Erika Sutton,
managing director of Realgrowth Development.
AFFORDABLE
SA HOUSING
MAY - JUNE 2017
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