Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa July 2015 | Page 53

REI OFFSHORE

CREATING SUCCESSFUL AND
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE CITIES

EXPERT Q&A
VILLAS IN MAURITIUS ARE
A GOOD INVESTMENT

P

rofessionals in the built environment sector must take concerted action to prepare
for the unprecedented global change the sector will face up to 2030.
This emerged from a new Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
report, entitled ‘Our Changing World: Let’s be ready’.
According to the report, 54% of the world’s population lives in cities. This is
expected to rise to 66% by 2050, according to projections by the United Nations. The
profession has an important contribution to make in helping cities to prepare for the
unprecedented global change the sector will face up to 2030.
“With the rise in use of tools such as ‘Building Information Modelling’, increasing
our capacity to collect and share data, new technology emerging in both our built and
natural environments such as the ‘Internet of Things’ and 3D printing, standing still is
not an option,” says Dan Cook, RICS Director of Strategy.
“Professions like ours, educators and firms will need to change to embrace roles
and skills that have not even been imagined today in the period to 2030. Building
Information Modelling is the representation of an asset, (ie a building) in digital form,
so that everyone can understand it through the use of a digital model. The Internet
of Things, meanwhile, is a proposed development of the Internet in which everyday
objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data,” he adds.
Jason Vorster
National Sales Manager
Just Invest

In a recent report highlighting islands where property
prices have remained resilient during the global
economic crisis – and which offer outstanding longterm investment potential – the Channel Islands came
close to the top, along with the likes of the Bahamas
and the British Virgin Islands.
Gerhard Oosthuizen
Senior Portfolio Manager
Total Facilities Management Company
(TFMC)

Although the Yzerfontein West African Cable System
(WACS) Facility was a smaller project in terms of
monetary value, this was a high profile project with
international interest. This four fibre pair 16,500 km
cable system linking South Africa to Portugal, is not
only the largest cable system in sub-Saharan Africa,
but it was exciting to be part of a project that brought
high speed Internet into South Africa.
www.reimag.co.za

Theo Pietersen
Director
Seeff Mauritius
Q Is it better to buy or rent a villa in
Mauritius?

While being able to invest in a beach villa of
your own may come with a steep price tag
at a minimum of around R6 million, you can
still enjoy the lifestyle by renting a villa for as
long as you wish.
Q Why is renting a villa better than
staying at a hotel?

Hotels on the island are often full and
can become busy, especially over the high
summer periods. This makes renting a villa
a more convenient and exclusive alternative.
Considering that hotels start at around the
R2 400 - R2 800 mark per person per night,
the option of renting a villa is also cheaper,
especially for families and groups.
Q Why is Mauritius a good place for
South African business people and
holiday makers to travel to?

The island is a good year-round destination for
South Africans. There are no visa requirements
or health pre-requisites. It is a short hop
of only four hours (six if you fly directly
out of Cape Town) with daily flights out of
Johannesburg and weekly flights out of Cape
Town and Durban.
Q What amenities and attractions
are offered in Mauritius?

Mauritius offers a Spur, Food Lovers’ Market
or Woolworths. Other attractions include
village markets, shopping facilities and a
waterfront in Port Louis. Visitors can enjoy the
food and culture on offer in the local villages.
Mauritius also includes a bustling nightlife,
top golf courses, spas and wellness centres on
the island.
JULY 2015 SA Real Estate Investor

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