Linkedin-in
Twitter Linkedin-in

QUICK
LINKS

SA REIT Association

Peter Verwer to headline SA REIT Conference 2026

by

Peter Verwer to headline SA REIT Conference 2026 as global REIT Alliance enters new phase

The SA REIT Association has confirmed that Peter Verwer, Executive Chairman of Futurefy and long-time global REIT ambassador, will deliver the keynote address at the SA REIT Conference 2026 on 12 February at The Houghton Hotel, Johannesburg.

The biennial conference, proudly sponsored by Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking’s Property Finance division, is South Africa’s most influential gathering of listed property leaders, investors, policymakers and market experts. Against a backdrop of shifting global and local real estate dynamics, Verwer’s address will set the tone for a forward-looking exploration of how the REIT model is evolving worldwide.

Global REIT dynamics

Verwer’s keynote presentation, titled “Global REIT Dynamics: Innovation, Influence and Opportunity”, will examine how REITs across continents are adapting to investor demands, digital transformation, sustainability imperatives and their growing role in infrastructure and nation building. His insights will provide a rare global perspective for South African delegates, connecting local challenges to broader trends in capital flows, governance and long-term investment.

Crucially, his speech follows the relaunch of the Global REIT Alliance at the EPRA Conference in Stockholm in September 2025. Originally established in 2006 as the Real Estate Equity Securitization Alliance (REESA), the Alliance has been revitalised under its new identity to strengthen international collaboration, knowledge-sharing and industry advocacy. Today, it represents 24 countries and regions across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa, with the SA REIT Association included as South Africa’s voice in this global coalition.

Verwer underscores the significance of this expansion: “The Global REIT Alliance brings together 24 countries and regions, creating a unified voice for REIT advocacy and a platform for knowledge-sharing and standard-setting. Our shared vision is to broaden investor participation, improve transparency and strengthen trust in REITs as a credible global asset class.”

For South Africa, Alliance membership provides a direct line to international peers and policymakers. It allows local REITs and property leaders to learn from global best practice and at the same time contribute perspectives from an emerging market grappling with unique economic and regulatory challenges. As Verwer notes: “Together, we aim to strengthen the global REIT ecosystem and promote REITs as a trusted and transparent asset class worldwide.”

Setting the agenda for South Africa

The 2026 SA REIT Conference will tackle urgent themes shaping the sector, including global market volatility, access to capital, technological innovation, sustainability, local government risks and the shifting policy environment. With credibility and long-term investor relevance at the centre of discussions, the agenda is designed to provide strategic insight and practical direction for REIT executives and investors.

Verwer’s keynote will frame these issues within an international context, exploring how markets from the United States and Europe to Asia and Africa are positioning themselves for resilience. For South African REITs, which collectively represent a significant portion of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and hold assets across retail, office, industrial and residential segments, his outlook will offer both inspiration and direction at a crucial juncture.

Local positives

After a period of economic pressure and subdued investor sentiment, renewed positivity is emerging in South Africa’s listed property sector. Signs of stabilisation in valuations, improving operational performance by leading REITs and a sharper focus on governance and transparency are helping to rebuild confidence. At the same time, international investors are showing a cautious but growing interest in South African assets, particularly as the local market aligns itself more closely with global REIT trends.

The SA REIT Conference 2026 will capture this mood of guarded optimism, convening executives, asset managers and policymakers to debate how the sector can consolidate its recovery and unlock future growth. By combining a global perspective, underscored by Peter Verwer’s keynote, with a local focus on practical strategies, the event will highlight how South Africa’s REITs are adapting to change and reasserting their relevance as a trusted investment class.

A landmark event

The SA REIT Conference has established itself as the premier platform for debate and networking in the property investment industry. With the inclusion of the SA REIT Association in the Global REIT Alliance, the 2026 edition is set to connect local strategies with global momentum more closely than ever before.

Register here.

Spear REIT posts inflation-beating HY2026 growth

by

Regional focus pays off as Spear REIT posts inflation-beating HY2026 growth

Spear REIT delivered a strong set of interim results for the six months ended 31 August 2025, supported by stable operational and financial performance, disciplined capital allocation, and continued portfolio growth. The results reflect a period of measured expansion and strategic investment, with Spear remaining the only regionally focused REIT on the JSE, operating exclusively within the Western Cape.

 Key Highlights – HY2026

  • HY26 DIPS growth vs prior period: 5.21%
  • HY26 DPS growth vs prior period: 5.21% (based on 95% payout ratio)
  • Interim distributable income per share: 43.78 cents
  • Interim distribution per share: 41.59 cents (95% payout)
  • Portfolio value: R5.7 billion
  • Portfolio GLA: 487 317 m²
  • YTD collection: 98.96%
  • Occupancy: 95.03%
  • LTV: 13.85%
  • TNAV: R12.10 per share

CEO Quintin Rossi said the first half of the 2026 financial year demonstrated Spear’s ability to balance growth and stability while delivering strategy-aligned outcome from the core portfolio.

“Our exclusive Western Cape focus is a deliberate strategy – it gives us deep local market insight, agility in execution, and the ability to be in close proximity to our assets and tenants,” Rossi said. “The region’s economic resilience, governance quality, and sustained demand for real estate solutions from drivers of economic activity across the board continue to underpin the performance of the core portfolio.”

During the period, Spear concluded R1.074 billion in strategic acquisitions — namely Berg River Business Park (Paarl), Consani Industrial Park (Elsies River), and Maynard Mall (Wynberg). The transactions add over 137 000 m² of additional GLA and will take Spear’s total portfolio to around 624 000 m² once transfers are finalised between October 2025 and January 2026. Acquired at an average yield of 9.54%, all three assets are accretive, meet Spear’s strict investment criteria, and will contribute immediately to distributable income once transferred.

Rossi added: “These acquisitions further strengthen our industrial and retail exposure – sectors where we continue to see consistent tenant demand and strong rental growth potential. Our focus remains on high-quality, cash-generative assets that align with Spear’s long-term distribution and value growth objectives which may also include further portfolio acquisition opportunities within the region.”

Spear’s occupancy rate remained firm at 95.03%, supported by collection rates of 98.96%. Portfolio valuations increased by R107 million, reflecting a 2% uplift over the period. Rental reversions were positive at 1.31%, signalling sustained tenant confidence across the portfolio.

By February 2026, 67% of Spear’s portfolio will be equipped with embedded PV solar infrastructure in line with Spear’s sustainability strategy as the business seeks to place less reliance on fossil-fuel-generated electricity supply whilst harnessing the attractive rate of returns its PV solar portfolio generates.

The company’s loan-to-value ratio of 13.85% and R749 million equity raise in June 2025 provides Spear with dealmaking capacity while maintaining a conservative balance sheet profile.

“Our prudent capital structure gives us flexibility to pursue growth opportunities while maintaining distribution sustainability,” Rossi said. “Liquidity and investor confidence have improved meaningfully, with Spear now trading at one of the narrowest discounts to Net Asset Value in the South African REIT sector.”

In the broader context, the South African REIT market has remained resilient through 2025, with the sector delivering a 14% total return year-to-date, supported by moderating inflation and stable interest rates.

Within this landscape, Spear’s focused Western Cape strategy and consistent DIPS growth position it ahead of sector averages, and it is well-placed to capture ongoing regional upside.

Spear’s long-term strategy remains secured in its Western Cape-only focus, with the REIT aiming to scale to R15 billion in assets under ownership and a market capitalisation of R9 billion over the next decade. Its potential inclusion in the FTSE/JSE All Property Index in March 2026 is expected to further enhance liquidity and institutional participation.

 Outlook

Looking ahead, Spear reaffirmed its FY2026 full-year DIPS growth guidance of 4% to 6%, with a payout ratio maintained at 95%.

“We will continue to prioritise high occupancy, disciplined cost management, and accretive capital deployment,” Rossi concluded. “Our focus is on consistent, predictable growth and delivering long-term value for shareholders through a well-managed, regionally focused portfolio.”

 

Growthpoint backs Winelands Airport with landmark partnership

by

Growthpoint backs Cape Winelands Airport with landmark partnership

SA’s next generation aviation hub secures initial investment, development and managing partner 

Growthpoint Properties (JSE: GRT), South Africa’s leading Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), has made an initial investment with the right to co-invest and develop the new Cape Winelands Airport precinct, marking the start of a strategic partnership to deliver the Western Cape’s next-generation aviation, hospitality and industrial hub.

Growthpoint, which co-owns Cape Town’s signature V&A Waterfront and holds group property assets to the value of R155.8 billion across retail, office and logistics properties, brings deep experience in large-scale, mixed-use and tourism-led precincts to the development of Cape Winelands Airport precinct. The privately-owned airport, set to be developed on the site of the airfield previously known as Fisantekraal, is designed to strengthen the region’s logistics, trade and tourism infrastructure.

The property group’s initial investment is one of several pillars in a long-term partnership for the design, development, delivery and management of the properties within the Cape Winelands Airport precinct. Under the agreement, Growthpoint will assume long-term property and asset management responsibilities across the 450-hectare aviation precinct’s logistics, commercial and hospitality components which excludes the terminal buildings, with the right of first refusal to co-invest in future property developments. It will also oversee the development’s main contractor to ensure institutional standards in transparent governance, financial discipline, positive environmental and social impact integration and development delivery.  

Partnering for pioneering regional growth

Nicholas Ferguson, Managing Director of RSA Aero, the company that owns and operates Cape Winelands Airport, says, “This partnership represents a step-change for Cape Winelands Airport. Growthpoint’s partnership provides the institutional foundation and delivery capacity needed to build an airport precinct of global quality that will serve the region for generations to come.”

The uniquely qualified Cape Winelands Airport team will lead aviation strategy and master planning of the international aviation hub while Growthpoint contributes institutional capital, property expertise and sustainability leadership. Together, they aim to develop a commercially driven world-class airport precinct that meets rising aviation demand, strengthens regional trade and tourism connectivity while exemplifying sustainability.

Norbert Sasse, Group CEO of Growthpoint Properties, comments, “Cape Winelands Airport and its visionary partners have set in motion a powerful catalyst for long-term value creation and a legacy asset for the Western Cape that enhances South Africa’s broader growth story. We are pleased to take part in this opportunity and to contribute to Cape Town’s and South Africa’s sustainable growth.”

The success of the V&A Waterfront – one of Africa’s most visited destinations – provides Growthpoint with first-hand insight into how well-planned tourism infrastructure can drive inclusive economic growth.

“Tourism and foreign direct investment are powerful economic multipliers that go hand in hand and we as Growthpoint have the opportunity to influence the tourist experience at both the Cape Winelands Airport and the V&A Waterfront,” notes Werner van Antwerpen, Growthpoint Properties’ Head: Corporate Advisory. “When tourism infrastructure works sustainably and at scale, jobs follow, cities thrive and communities benefit.”

A new platform for sustainable aviation and development

The airport is expected to sustain approximately 35,000 direct and indirect jobs and could sustain just over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs during its initial 20 years of operation. The development represents an expected initial investment of approximately R8 billion in Cape Town, which will deliver the terminal buildings, runway and a 450-hectare developable estate.

Growthpoint’s initial and right to future investments aligns with its South African capital allocation strategy, which prioritises outperforming locations, precincts and property sectors, including Cape Town and modern logistics facilities, while driving sustainability initiatives towards the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.  

Cape Winelands Airport aims to be the greenest airport in the world, embedding sustainability at every phase of development. It will function largely with renewable energy and be supported by water reuse systems, driving a carbon-neutral agenda. Growthpoint’s established environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership will guide the project’s sustainability framework.

“Our commitment to Cape Winelands Airport aligns with Growthpoint’s purpose of creating space to thrive. The project is centred around aviation, but it’s also about unlocking inclusive growth, enabling enterprise and setting new standards for sustainable development,” notes Sasse.

Pending Environmental Impact Assessment approvals, construction of Cape Winelands Airport could begin in early 2026. The development will proceed in phases, starting with runway and safety infrastructure, followed by the terminal, cargo and industrial precincts. On this timeline, the airport is targeted for commissioning by 2028 with capacity for more than five million passengers annually by 2050. The full rollout will unfold over more than two decades, in step with the region’s evolving growth and infrastructure needs.

Infrastructure for the Western Cape’s future

Once operational, Cape Winelands Airport will serve as a second major aviation gateway for the province, easing pressure on existing infrastructure, reducing costs and carbon emissions for operators and welcoming local and international tourists to the Cape’s renowned winelands.

The new airport will also become a new hub for business, hospitality and tourism, supported by the area’s expanding population, dynamic economy and exceptional setting. It will anchor new investment along the Cape Winelands corridor and support Cape Town’s natural expansion northwards – its only viable growth route – with infrastructure necessary for the success of the city’s next chapter.  

“This partnership ensures the Cape Winelands Airport precinct is backed by South Africa’s most credible property investor. Together with Growthpoint, we’re not just building an airport – we’re building a long-term platform for investment, innovation and opportunity in the Western Cape,” concludes Ferguson.

Greenovate Awards of student innovation in Sustainability

by

Greenovate Awards celebrate 10 years of student innovation in Sustainability

The Greenovate Awards are back for 2025 with more prizes, new categories and an important milestone to celebrate – ten years of inspiring young people to design practical sustainability solutions for South Africa’s built environment.

Entries are open for the prestigious competition, founded in 2015 by Growthpoint Properties in partnership with the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA). Since its launch, Greenovate has grown into the country’s leading platform for student sustainability innovation, giving honours and final year students the chance to see their ideas tested against real industry challenges.

A decade of positive impact

 Greenovate was created to bridge the gap between academia and industry. At the time, students were graduating with strong technical skills but little exposure to sustainability in practice. Growthpoint and the GBCSA set out to change that, giving students access to mentorship, real projects and the opportunity to present their research to senior leaders in the property and engineering sectors.

Over the past ten years, Greenovate has done more than launch careers. It has become a recognised talent pipeline for the industry, introducing new thinking and fresh energy into the conversation about sustainability. More than R1 million in prize money has been awarded to students from over nine universities nationwide, across property, engineering and proptech streams.

Winning ideas have gone on to influence the market, with Growthpoint piloting projects such as a smart energy management system developed by student winner Julian Banks. Alumni including Wardah Peters have returned to the programme as mentors, showing how Greenovate has built a community of sustainability professionals and thought leaders.

Mentors and judges say the standard and quality of work has grown steadily. Students are bolder, more practical and increasingly fluent in ESG principles and real-world implementation. For many participants, Greenovate has been a turning point in their careers, giving them confidence to pursue roles in sustainability and the built environment.

What’s new for 2025

 To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Greenovate has added two new awards, each worth R10,000 and sponsored by Growthpoint.

The Sustainability in Action Award will go to the engineering project with the best potential to be implemented within Growthpoint’s portfolio or systems. Judges will be looking for relevance to Growthpoint’s sustainability objectives, ease of implementation and measurable impact on resource efficiency, emissions reduction or operational cost savings.

The Transformative Impact Award will recognise the property, quantity surveying or construction project that demonstrates the strongest alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and overall ESG performance. Criteria include clear links to SDG targets, contribution to ESG indicators and measurable impact on global sustainability priorities.

These new prizes add to an already significant prize pool. The top three projects in both property and engineering will receive R40,000, R20,500 and R14,000 respectively. The competition also offers the coveted IFC prize linked to EDGE Expert Accreditation, and top students benefit from GBCSA Accredited Professional candidate courses.

Platform for a more sustainable future

 Finalists present their projects to an expert panel of judges, and winners are announced at the Greenovate Awards gala dinner. Top teams are also invited to participate at the Innovation Stage at the annual GBCSA Convention – a career-defining opportunity to showcase their work to business leaders and influencers.

“Reaching the ten-year mark with Greenovate is a proud moment for Growthpoint. This initiative has grown into a genuine talent pipeline for the property industry, bringing fresh thinking into how we manage and develop sustainable buildings. What excites us most is seeing student ideas translate into solutions that can be implemented in our world today. By investing in young innovators, we are investing in the future of the built environment and the resilience of our sector,” says Engelbert Binedell, Chief Operating Officer of Growthpoint Properties.

“Greenovate was created to give students a voice in the sustainability conversation, and ten years later it has become a powerful platform for the next generation of leaders. Every year we see young people tackling complex challenges with creativity and rigour, and that gives us real confidence in the future of green building. The competition has not only shifted student perspectives, it has also influenced the industry by embedding sustainability into education, research and professional practice,” says Lisa Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer of the Green Building Council South Africa.

Greenovate has always been about more than prize money. It is about giving students the confidence and tools to see themselves as future leaders in the built environment, and about creating a platform where students, mentors and senior industry figures engage as equals in shaping a more sustainable future.

Entries for the 2025 Greenovate Awards close on 10 November 2025. The competition’s mentoring day is 26 November, and the judging and gala dinner take place on 27 November. The competition is open to honours and final year students in property studies, construction, quantity surveying and engineering.

This year, as Greenovate celebrates its tenth anniversary, the call is not only to participate but to be part of the next decade of ideas, innovation and impact.

Students can register and find more information at www.greenovatecompetition.co.za/register.

Emira champions biodiversity with eco pest control initiative

by

Emira champions biodiversity with non-toxic eco pest control initiative

At night, the city hums with unseen life. Thriving as they always have in spaces created by humans, rodents dart between buildings, feed on scraps and nest in walls. To fight them, people often reach for poisons: small black boxes baited with enticing blocks of chemical death. For decades, anticoagulant rodenticides, poisons that stop blood from clotting, have been the standard weapon against rodents. But the dangerous reach of poisons extends far beyond their targets. When natural predators consume poisoned rodents, they too can suffer internal bleeding, immune failure and death. These poisons have become progressively more harmful as rodents are increasingly genetically resistant to rodenticides. Each new generation of poison is crueller and more inhumane than the last. These toxins persist in ecosystems, reducing local predator populations and threatening biodiversity. Despite their dangers to non-target animals and humans such poisons remain widely available and poorly regulated in many countries.

Recognising this, the South African Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has banned certain rodenticides classified under Toxicity Categories 1A and 1B of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS). These substances, linked to cancer, genetic mutations and reproductive harm, endanger human health, non-target wildlife such as owls, and the wider environment.

JSE-listed Emira Property Fund has responded with a nature-based alternative. In addition to making sure that pest management service providers comply fully with the new regulations at all its properties, it has ventured beyond compliance with an owl and bat box initiative, which provides a sustainable pest control solution that safeguards wildlife and human health. Boxes were installed across seven of Emira properties during September 2025, providing safe habitats for natural pest controllers and a powerful alternative to toxic pest management.

“The owl and bat box initiative forms part of our eco-pest management programme, a biodiversity priority for this financial year and a deliberate move towards safer, sustainable solutions for our properties and their surroundings,” says Ulana van Biljon, Chief Operating Officer at Emira.

Van Biljon emphasises the urgency of the initiative. “These poisons threaten not only human health, but also owls, other wildlife and the environment at large. For Emira, the message is simple: our commitment to the environment means investing in nature-based solutions that work to promote biodiversity.”

Nature as pest control: how the initiative works

 In partnership with EcoSolutions, Emira’s owl boxes offer nesting sites for Spotted Eagle Owls and Barn Owls. Each box type mimics natural nesting conditions, ensuring the birds’ safety and breeding success. These nocturnal hunters are formidable allies in rodent control. A single Barn Owl family can consume hundreds of rats and mice in a breeding season. On top of this, owls control rodents not only through predation but also through behavioural trait mediation, meaning their presence deters rodents and changes their behaviours.

Similarly, bats are highly effective at controlling flying insects. A single bat can consume up to its body weight in insects each night, including mosquitoes, midges and crop pests. What is more, echolocation is another way bats reduce insect populations in a specific area. Their echolocation becomes a predator warning signal to tympanic insects such as some moths and flying beetles, and many respond by avoiding the area. Bat boxes provide safe roosts that compensate for habitat loss and enhance natural insect control. Emira’s installations use purpose-designed boxes, each housing between 100 and 800 bats depending on the design.

“Owl boxes provide effective rodent control and aid conservation while bat boxes promote natural insect control and deterrence and both support conservation and are sustainable solutions,” adds van Biljon.

 The project also promotes ethical, humane bat exclusions in line with the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, as authorised by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Broader biodiversity commitment

 Emira’s new Owl and Bat Box Initiative forms part of the property group’s larger, well-established environmental strategy, which ranges from energy efficiencies to water savings and renewable solar energy. Importantly, the initiative supports Emira’s passionate biodiversity leadership, including greening projects, pollination promotion and indigenous planting, reinforcing Emira’s commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible property management.

In recent years it has planted Senecio Barbertonicus, also known as bush senecio, at its Gauteng properties. These drought-resistant plants are valued for their air-purifying qualities and oxygen-boosting benefits and feeding pollinators during the winter months. Emira also installed beehives at select properties in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, providing safe havens for these valuable little pollinators. It has also added carbon-offsetting spekboom plants to sites across South Africa. Emira also partners with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Trees for Africa to plant fruit trees and shade trees.

“These initiatives matter because they protect ecosystems, support our communities and strengthen our positive environmental impacts.  Each small step on our biodiversity journey makes a difference an takes us all towards greater sustainability,” van Biljon concludes.

 

Redefine embarks on R70 million Park Meadows upgrade

by

Redefine Properties embarks on R70 million Park Meadows Shopping Centre upgrade to elevate shopper experience

 Redefine Properties is investing R70 million into the redevelopment of Park Meadows Shopping Centre in the East Rand, which will add more choice and make visits easier for the community. New retailers are joining the line-up and access improvements are under way, reinforcing Park Meadows as a convenient, everyday destination.

By enhancing convenience, refreshing facilities, and strengthening the tenant mix with the introduction of new anchor tenants, Redefine is ensuring that Park Meadows remains attractive to shoppers and tenants alike. This measured reinvestment forms part of Redefine’s broader strategy to actively manage and future-proof its convenience-led retail assets.

Expanding the retail mix

At the heart of the upgrades is the arrival of Woolworths Food, expanding the centre’s grocery offer with premium products and everyday essentials. This will be complemented by WCafé, Woolworths’ coffee and light meals concept, and WCellar, its dedicated wine and liquor format. Food Lover’s Market is also expanding to include a liquor section, giving customers more choice under one roof. Collectively, these additions bring fresh energy to the tenant mix and broaden the reasons to visit Park Meadows.

 Facilities upgrade for easier visits

Alongside the retail changes, Park Meadows is investing in improvements that support access, flow and the overall shopping environment. Works include a new entrance to ease movement in and out of the centre, speciality parking bays to better accommodate larger vehicles and a refreshed building façade that creates a more modern, welcoming look.

The upgrades are being delivered in carefully managed phases to minimise disruption so shoppers can continue to enjoy a seamless experience throughout.

“Park Meadows has been a cornerstone shopping destination for the East Rand community for many years,” says Leon Kok, Chief Operating Officer at Redefine. “This investment is about aligning the centre with how people want to shop today: conveniently and efficiently, with access to the right mix of retailers. By introducing anchors like Woolworths and expanding Food Lover’s Market, together with improvements to access and comfort, we are helping to keep Park Meadows relevant, resilient and a pleasure to visit.”

 Strengthening Redefine’s retail portfolio

The Park Meadows upgrade supports Redefine’s strategy to actively manage and enhance convenience-led retail assets in line with evolving consumer expectations. It also reflects wider trends in the retail sector, where centres that combine everyday essentials with premium experiences are best positioned to remain relevant and competitive. By investing in accessibility, quality and a balanced tenant mix, Redefine aims to sustain footfall and trading performance while creating value for shoppers and tenants.

 About Park Meadows

Situated in the heart of the East Rand, Park Meadows Shopping Centre brings together a balanced mix of national retailers and speciality stores that serve the daily needs of surrounding communities. With an accessible layout and a growing selection of food, grocery and lifestyle tenants, the centre remains a trusted choice for families and professionals.