Women in the property business are celebrated in Melrose Arch
11 Women in the class of 2020 at the Growthpoint and Property Point programme were honoured with awards at The Venue in Melrose Arch.
The first all-women-owned businesses cohort of 2020 from Growthpoint Properties graduated at The Venue in Melrose Arch.
The graduation ceremony took place on August 1. Growthpoint Properties with visionary partner Property Point, co-developed the first-ever women–owned enterprise and supplier development programme which successfully supported 11 female entrepreneurs.
CEO of Growthpoint Properties Limited South Africa, Estienne de Klerk said when Growthpoint initiated Property Point in 2008, the intention was to advance small businesses servicing the property sector by giving them a footing in a highly competitive marketplace.
He extended his congratulations to the Class of 2020 and said, “As we honour your accomplishments, it is essential to acknowledge the critical role that women-owned businesses play in South Africa’s economy. Your efforts are priceless and you have shown that being female shouldn’t be a barrier to achievement.”
Property Point Properties programme manager Carmine Fritz said after understanding that the property sector in SA was traditionally male-dominated, they made a concerted effort to advance women-owned businesses to promote gender equality.
“We have set ourselves a target of 70 % of businesses on the programme to be women-owned by the end of 2023. Property Point is being more intentional in supporting women-owned businesses in the construction sector and we have been successful through implementing this all-women cohort,” said Fritz.
She added that the objectives of this programme were to encourage the growth of sustainable women-owned businesses that could compete on merit in a male-dominated sector. Also to encourage the inclusion of more women-owned businesses into the supply chain and provide resources and support as well as improve the visibility of women in the property value chain.
Shawn Theunissen, responsible for the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility, said the support they had received from the company’s various departments had enabled them to focus on the economic inclusion of women and their businesses within the industry.
Keynote speaker and professional violinist Stella Mtshali said being a young working mother who was expecting another child and being a wife and a career woman, was a demanding journey. “At times, I feel overwhelmed and exhausted and then there are moments when I just want to escape and rest. I believe we can all relate to such feelings at a certain level, we are human after all. We just have to keep reminding ourselves why we started this journey in the first place. I want to be a beacon of hope to those who face challenges by sharing my story and showcasing the power of music.”
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