News
Launch of our First Issue (National)
Tuesday, 14th December 2010
It is with great pride that we launch our first issue of a regular magazine for the South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners (SAIBPP). Black practitioners in the property industry face many challenges including recognition and access to their skill and potential, access to finance for their service provision businesses and investments, opportunities and business relationships. SAIBPP’s goals include finding ways to address these challenges so as to accelerate transformation in the industry. It is important for the beneficiaries of transformation to not leave it up to government and established business to transform this industry. As black practitioners, we are in a position to make our industry understand the dynamics of this challenging journey. It is in that spirit that the organisation exists, to help implement what is an important but also a challenging aspect to all business in South Africa. Nothing in life can be taken for granted and all of us need to work towards this commitment.
By launching this publication, we believe we are taking another step forward in raising the profile of the organisation and its members. This is one of the instruments necessary to showcasing the talents of black property practitioners and it is intended to be a mouthpiece through which they can communicate with the wider property industry. We believe such a publication is long overdue.
SAIBPP’s aim is to be the leading organisation driving transformation in the property industry by finding ways to address the under-representation of black professionals in all organisation levels and positions in the industry. We must also unlock opportunities for black businesses and provide networking and relationship-building opportunities both between members and within the greater industry. Much concern has been voiced in the commercial property market about there being a lack of skilled people. We at SAIBPP believe that there are not only skilled but talented people among our members who simply need better exposure and access to opportunities – and in turn, the market needs to know about them and have access to them. We would like to change the market perception and suggest that the skilled human resources that the industry needs are indeed available within the community of black practitioners. A magazine such as this will serve as a valuable platform for showcasing SAIBPP and its members, and we hope that through it, our members will be more visible to potential employers, business partners and funding opportunities within the established business fraternity. Readers of the publication will also be able to find out more about SAIBPP’s goals, activities and initiatives, and we welcome your interaction and comments.
In this first issue, we introduce the history of the organisation, where we are, our current board of directors and the chairs of SAIBPP’s committees so as to give readers some insight into what our constructive intentions and activities encompass. In future issues, past presidents, board members (current and past) and members will also be profiled through their intellectual contribution as a way to illustrate the calibre of the minds behind the SAIBPP initiative.
I would like to extend my thanks to the energetic and supportive members of the SAIBPP Board and individuals and corporates that have supported the organisations’ cause and initiatives. And I thank all the companies that the board, past board members and committee members work for. The current board members come from a diverse range of backgrounds and disciplines, from established corporate organisations while others have started up their own businesses. Some come from established business while others have started their own businesses. We also have a balance of founding and older SAIBPP members and newer, younger ones who are able to bring fresh thinking to the organisation. I would also like to thank all our members – individuals, corporate and students – whose support makes our existence possible and our activities worthwhile. We have enjoyed good support for our discussion forums and our convention, and we hope to have more interaction with our members at events and other programs to create further opportunities to add value for them. Lastly, grateful thanks go to all our sponsors, including those advertised in the first issue and future issues – your contribution is greatly valued!
There is still much work to be done to bring about transformation in the property industry, and we know it will not be easy. We also hope to leverage greater effectiveness through our interactions with other industry organisations, gaining strength from our combined numbers. Every contribution matters and will help drive transformation forward. I am looking forward to a time that our industry can no longer call transformation a challenge but part of the value chain to business.
Kgaogelo Mamabolo
SAIBPP President
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