Phakathi, who is MD of Pareto, a R5,7bn unlisted property loan stock company specialising in regional shopping centres, has just taken over from departing president TC Chetty. He will be Sapoa president for the 2006-07 year.

Speaking at Sapoa’s annual convention in Durban recently, Phakathi said government remained a key partner of Sapoa and the organisation would strengthen its relationship with the relevant ministries, particularly public works.

Research would be a key component of this relationship. “Sapoamust enhance its research capacity and make the research available to government to influence and shape policy.

“Last year we had the interesting debate on foreign land ownership and social housing development. What was lacking in both debates was reliable information and research.”

Through its members and association with academic institutions, Sapoa needed to develop research and produce “position papers”, which would “also serve as a resource for the regional structures to guide them on matters of national interest”.

Phakathi said there should be closer co-operation between Sapoa and other special-purpose or special-interest property groups. “I believe the overall benefit to our common membership will increase if we co-operate on matters of common interest.”

He said Sapoa should work closely with the Property Loan Stock Association and the South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners. “We need to be able to identify issues of common interest and decide which organisation is better suited to take the lead on such issues.”

Property education was “lacking in SA” and the pipeline of property practitioners had been increased to sustain the growth of the industry.

“The training and development of property practitioners is one obvious area of possible co-operation among the different industry bodies.”

Phakathi has extensive experience in the property field, having worked at Eskom as the national head of commercial property development. His department was responsible for the development of R110m worth of Eskom offices from 1997 to 1999.

In 1999 Phakathi was appointed a corporate finance consultant to Eskom Holdings and was also made a director of Motraco, a Mozambican electricity transmission company that supplies electricity to Mozal, the aluminium smelter in Maputo.

He is a member of the African Real Estate Society and the South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners. He is also a member of the board of directors of Sapoa, as well as a member of Sapoa’s national council.