POLOKWANE – Recruiting previously disadvantaged individuals to the property sector, was at the heart of the roadshows held by The Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) at Polokwane Royal Hotel. The aim was to remobilise and reach out to individuals from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, who are no longer practicing as estate agents and those practicing illegally.
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EAAB were recruiting new entrants, in particular Africans, to the sector. Fidelity Fund Certificates (FFC) were issued to previously disadvantaged estate agents, who have been rendered disqualified in terms of Section 27(a) of the EAAB Act, provided such individuals have applied in terms of the Act, in the interest of justice.
EAAB recruits one thousand youth to be trained for a period of twelve months in real estate. The EAAB also plan to establish a transformation fund, to help emerging black estate agents to sustain themselves especially as they enter the sector.
According to EAAB’s transformation project-manager, Sipho Tyira, a estate agency board exists, because of the estate agency act 112 of 1976. “Now in 2019, we have laws that are 43 years old and which of course by nature, one can also assume they are not transformative. Whoever came up with this legislative, did not think ahead to 2019. Part of the transformation plan, is our ‘One Learner-One Estate Agency’ Youth Empowerment Programme. The sector still doesn’t reflect the country’s demographics, and through these roadshows the board hopes to recruit more individuals and open the sector to all South Africans,” said Tyira.
He said the programme is open to the youth of South Africa and addresses transformation, by introducing young black people to the industry, so they can start participating in real estate.
