Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
Ash Müller

Creator

Ash Müller

Vehicle industry fights back

Despite widespread factory closures and thousands of job cuts across South Africa's automotive industry, a new R1.1-billion parts facility at Dube TradePort offers a glimmer of…

Grace was built the hard way

Before becoming icons of South African luxury hospitality, the Cape Grace and Mount Grace hotels began as a struggling children's campsite. Discover the turbulent history, fires,…

Eye-watering increase: Steven Bartlett, the entrepreneur behind The Diary of a CEO, bought a Bishopscourt estate for about R93.3 million in 2024. The property is now listed for sale at R189m. Photo: Steven Bartlett/X

A mansion, a markup and a warning

Steven Bartlett's decision to list his Bishopscourt mansion for R189m—nearly double what he paid two years ago—sparks vital questions about foreign capital and property pricing…

Bigger picture: Investors, developers and financiers will attend the Africa Property Investment Summit in Cape Town to discuss The Broll Africa Real Estate Intelligence Report 2026 next month. Photo: Unsplash

Forget countries; follow the corridors

A new report by Broll Property Group reveals that African real estate investment is shifting away from traditional geographic boundaries toward interconnected investment…

The man who dreamt up Century City

Martin Wragge, a South African property developer, is the enigmatic force behind some of Cape Town's most iconic developments, including Century City, Canal Walk Shopping Centre,…

Bree Street's R1bn buying frenzy

Tricolt Group's new 23-storey development, The Madison, on Bree Street, Cape Town, achieved a staggering R1.255 billion in off-plan sales on its launch day, marking the biggest…

The hotel that built Sol Kerzner

Delve into the untold story of The Beverly Hills Hotel in uMhlanga, South Africa's first five-star graded hotel and the pioneering project that launched Sol Kerzner's legendary…

Pet-as-Family Era: People are no more just "pet owner"; they are pet parents who don't put their kid's bed in a random corner; rather, they build them a room. Photo: Denver International Airport/US Department of Energy

Mansions are going to the dogs

The family dog has moved from a kitchen basket to a custom-designed room, complete with tiled floors and a spa. This isn't just a luxury; it's 'Barkitecture', a full-blown design…

Bone of contention: The Western Cape provincial government wants to sell the Main Road site in Sea Point to a private concern but activists demand it be used for social housing instead.

Tafelberg saga lands up in Concourt

After 10 years and four court battles, the Constitutional Court has finally ruled the 2015 sale of the old Tafelberg School site in Sea Point illegal. This landmark decision has…

Collaboration: Premier Alan Winde (middle left) and Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis (middle right) were willing to be asked uncomfortable
questions from developers, investors and built-environment professionals. Photos: Supplied

CT aces it but Joburg won't even try

Cape Town's property development sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, with the Western Cape Property Development Forum breaking attendance records. Premier Alan Winde and…

Unique selling point: Blok’s THIRTEENONUP in Greenpoint, Cape Town, sits a short walk from the park, the promenade and the Waterfront. The location works across buyer types. The development launches on 8 July. Photo: Supplied

What it takes to keep building a city

Cape Town's property development scene is experiencing a significant boom, with new construction sites even needing to import tower cranes. This article delves into how developer…

From strip of road to famous racetrack

Discover the fascinating history of Killarney International Raceway in Cape Town, from its origins as a disused road in 1947 to becoming South Africa's most storied motor racing…

Thriving again: The Old Castle Brewery, once a run-down industrial relic is now a landmark of adaptive reuse. Photo: Supplied

Blend of beer, bricks and bold ideas

Explore the rich history of the Old Castle Brewery Building in Woodstock, Cape Town. Once a coastal suburb, Woodstock's shoreline was pushed back for development, and this iconic…

Back in the day: The old nightlife asked nothing of you except that you show up and let go. There were no personal bests or kudos to collect. Photo: Reality Night Club

Nightclub nostalgia

There was a time when a night out was not planned in a WhatsApp group. It just happened. You heard about a place from a friend of a friend. You arrived late and you left later.…

Non-compliance: The owners of
Marble Towers have been given
an opportunity to regularise the
structures, submit compliant
plans, address fire safety concerns
and secure the site. Photos: City of
Johannesburg

Marble Towers part of a bigger story

Unauthorised building alterations, illegal structures, safety violations and neglected compliance requirements are hardly unique to one property in Johannesburg’s city centre

Tax in disguise: Cape Town structured the levy based on property value — the more expensive your home, the more you paid for service delivery. Picture: City of Cape Town

Court puts municipality in its place

Other local government had better take note because the precedent has been set: as tempting as it might be, property owners are not an inexhaustible revenue source

Leverage: A property that has been sitting unsold for 12 months is a negotiation opportunity. Picture: Pexels

How to know whether to buy or rent

The same property in different cities will give you different outcomes. Here’s what to consider:

Primary risk: The most important part of scaffolding is the planning, engineering drawings, the load calculations and daily inspections. When the discipline slips, the system becomes vulnerable. Picture: Supplied

Safety vs profit in building sector

Cutting corners while balancing construction pressure and tight deadlines can be fatal

True to form: Every detail of La Concorde tells a story. Giflo Property Developers has taken a heritage asset
that could easily have been neglected and positioned it for another 50 years of relevance. Picture: Supplied

A love letter to La Concorde

The office park in Paarl has character, scale and history that cannot be replicated. Developers have listened to the building and acknowledged its story

Piece of the pie. Instead of saving for years to buy one flat, you could own slices of office parks, shopping
centres and logistics hubs across the country, starting with as little as R50. Photo: Supplied

Investing for the price of a coffee

The most accessible entry point is through real estate investment trusts. Think of them as the ‘Uber of property ownership’ — you don’t need to own the car to benefit from the ride