Real Estate Investor Magazine July/ Aug 2020 July 2020 | Page 55

“One can become a Developer responsible for managing
a project from start to end, from financing right through to
administration. Being a Facilities Manager is another option
where one manages the day-to-day running of the property
and ensures that cleaners and security guards are effectively
carrying out their roles, making sure electricity and water are
paid and finding out the reasons for any skyrocketing bills
among numerous other tasks. Among the range of career
opportunities is also going into valuations to determine the
value of a property, the rental amount, etc. or being a lending
analyst where one’s responsibilities revolve around managing
the bank’s relationships with clients.
“I’m passionate about my job because the kind of
accommodations students live in can really impact their studies.
Property affects our lives every day, impacting on how we live
and work and interact with each other, so it’s an interesting field
to work in. Property is also a great investment vehicle because
it appreciates in value, one can get a second bond on it and it
promotes generational wealth,” Makgabo says.
Young Professionals Forum
In a bid to continue offering space for the creation of a firm
education driven foundation for the rest of the motivated
black youth in South African Universities, SAIBPP has a forum
that consists of young black university students, which is
headed by Makgabo. The Young Professionals Forum consist
of approximately 1000 black students studying propertyrelated
courses, as well as property entrepreneurs and
professionals.
“The forum’s aim is to drive transformation within the
property industry by giving its members valuable skills,
knowledge and guidance about the property industry. It aims
at driving the careers of its members in various ways such as
running diverse conversations on the property industry. As
part of these engagements are weekly webinars by industry
experts to promote career growth and management, while
providing them with the relevant skills to navigate the sector,”
explains Makgabo.
With webinar topics ranging from entrepreneurship,
employment and career growth, how to participate in the
property industry and how to go about buying property
among numerous other themes. The forum also links
students to property professionals who become their
mentors, clarifying any coursework they don’t understand,
informing them on how various systems work and guiding
them on how to handle themselves in meetings among
numerous other guidance.
According to Makgabo, support is also provided through
property industry players giving presentations to students
pursuing property-related degrees. Going forward, Makgabo
plans to run Young Professionals Forums in student chapters
across the country.
One of the SAIBPP bursary fund beneficiaries, Slindele
Msibi (24), is from Piet Retief in Mpumalanga. Msibi is
currently in her Honours year of her BSc in Property Studies
at the University of the Witwatersrand, she enjoys how the
course is all inclusive providing knowledge on real estate
development, valuation, entrepreneurship, law and market
analysis among numerous other topics.
“I was actually studying towards a BSc in Biological
Studies and then dropped out when I found out about the
BSc in Property Studies. I’ve always loved property and the
built environment, but only became aware that there was a
property degree after I got to Wits,” she says.
Msibi further says she would love to go into valuations,
especially for office blocks, which involves finding the value
of a property through evaluating the environment it’s in, how
far it is from schools and shopping amenities, the building
material used to construct it among numerous other factors.
Additionally, Msibi in the previous year (2019) was
Chairperson of the SAIBPP Wits Students Chapter, organising
events where industry role players such as real estate
developers, architects and valuers spoke to students about
various property-related issues to help them on their journey
in the sector. “I really enjoyed these events because I got to
meet professionals who’ve been in the industry for years,” she
says.
Opening doors for all
It is safe to say that the vast property industry has
widespread opportunities for every single person, the
question is how are you going to use your skill in the sector?
Which is not a really difficult one to answer. Like it was with
24 years old Sinenhlanhla Langa who’s “learnt so much
about corporate finance, real estate investments, building
technology, valuation of property, property laws and so much
more,” she says.
Langa is from Newlands West in Durban and is a beneficiary
of the SAIBPP Bursary Fund. In her Honours year of her BSc
in Property Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand,
she was attracted to the course because it’s economics and
finance-related and provides numerous career options which
pay really well.
“It’s an interesting, practical, challenging course,” she
says. “I would really like to be part of the management and
maintenance of these buildings. There is so much that goes
into being an Asset Manager at a mall, like managing the
Portfolio Manager, whose job includes ensuring that rentals
and electricity have been paid and managing the facilities
manager, whose role involves ensuring that the cleaning and
security services are being properly carried out,” she says
Langa loves that there are many avenues in property like
being an estate agent, working in property finance, doing
valuations on municipal properties and estimating municipal
rates in an area among so much more.
Well, this is something that many people may not know,
simply because of not being aware of the ways to penetrate
the property industry, or not being exposed to opportunities
offered by companies and corporations in the real estate
and property. The youth is the future and feeding the youth
platforms on which they can perform their capabilities and be
rewarded is always commendable. It gives hope and courage
to a young person that seems hopeful. With the story of the
two successful young ladies, be motivated to keep grinding,
stay put and be hopeful about the future.
SOURCE SAIBPP
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine JULY/AUGUST 2020 51