If people doubt your ability in a field, the most efficient response is to succeed. Indeed, nobody can win an argument against success.
That’s what Rebosis Property Fund has done. Initially portrayed in some quarters as a beneficiary of lucrative black economic empowerment deals, the company has proved detractors wrong emphatically. In a market in which being majority black-owned does not always work to one’s advantage, contrary to popular belief, Rebosis has defied odds and made the most of the opportunities that opened up in retail and office space segments.
The solid performance of Rebosis Property Fund, the first black-managed real estate fund to list on the JSE, has been spectacular. According to recent unaudited results, the company’s net operating profit rose from R202 million in 2013 to R293 million in 2014. More to the point, profit from operations rose to R423 million in 2014 from R280 million in 2013.
In the main, growth has been due to the fact that the company has avoided putting all eggs in one basket, explained Sisa Ngebulana, Rebosis Property Fund Limited’s Chief Executive Officer. “We have a very good portfolio with high quality assets. So when the cycle is down, our portfolio which is evenly split between retail and office space makes it easier for us to make predictions.”
Under Ngebulana’s good husbandry, Rebosis Property Fund has flourished. The firm has a portfolio of 414 398 m², spanning Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and the North West Province. The portfolio, valued at R6, 592 billion, comprises 45% retail, 53% office and 2% industrial.