Motseng Project Management is fast carving out a niche as one of the very best end-to-end property development and project managers around. Africa Outlook talks to managing director Dewald Van Staden to find out what makes this award-winning company work so well and learns more about the redevelopment of Durban’s Pavilion Shopping Centre.
PLANNING EXPANSION
Motseng Project Management (or MPM to those in the know) manages a portfolio of over R5 billion. It is part of the larger Motseng Investment Holdings Ltd, the largest black-owned property management group in South Africa, and it has been highly specialised company from the start. It has a small and focused portfolio specialising in retail and commercial developments and is currently overseeing the first phase R228 million development of the iconic Pavillion Shopping Centre in Durban.
The Pavilion, owned by Pareto Ltd, has been a huge success for over 20 years.
What will its redevelopment mean, and how did Motseng Project Management (MPM) win such an impressive contract?
“At Motseng Project Management (MPM) we are very small and focused,” explains Mr Van Staden. “We get involved in understanding the client’s business, and we want to contribute to the bigger picture. We are involved from concept to feasibility, so we can offer a complete service.”
The advantage of working as part of a group environment is Motseng Project Management (MPM) can offer clients the attention to detail of a smaller company, yet has great range. “We are selling a host of services,” agrees Van Staden, “offering clients the best of both worlds.”
Motseng Investment Holdings, holding company of Motseng Project Management, has 15 years experience and turnover of well over R100 million, so it has the backing and the industry connections to support projects through all services, while Motseng Project Management’s focus allows it to deal with clients’ needs in a detailed and focused way, helping to shape, optimise and synergise the property management project from the very beginning.
The bigger picture view enables Motseng Project Management to offer their clients a fully joined-up service, from transport links to other nearby businesses.
“At the Pavillion Shopping Centre, the goal is to build on the centre’s impressive 20-year legacy to create something up to date moving forward. “Our aim is to make the current shopping centre in-line for the next 15 to 20 years,” says Van Staden. “To upgrade, update and contemporise it. On completion, visitors and shoppers will experience a world class retail and entertainment centre with upgraded amenities.
“A major part is to look at and enhance the nodal development and the surrounding businesses which are supporting the Pavilion.”
In the case of the Pavillion this planning for the future has also included using cutting-edge technology and low-energy offerings to reduce the complex’s carbon footprint. the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) use pioneering technology, while the project on the parking development won the accolade “Most Innovative International Project” at a prestigious trade show in Barcelona.
And this is just the first phase. The second is planned to commence around August or September 2014.
Marius Muller, CEO of Pareto Ltd, which owns the shopping centre, seems extremely happy with MPM’s work: “this major investment in both the Centre and the region is in line with our vision to create sustainable projects within our property portfolio, as well as taking into account the economic development in the Durban West area and beyond. Our redevelopment is not only to maintain the Centres’ position as an iconic retail and entertainment centre, but to concurrently stimulate growth in the surrounding area to promote business success and create a legacy that is relevant to the community.”
With an extremely focused niche, the company has managed to win contracts with some of the largest companies in South Africa. So what’s Motseng Project Management’s secret? “We always aim to not just complete our work, but apply our best minds to it,” explains Van Staden. “We make sure our work is done not at the best levels but at exceptional levels.”
Applying the same attention to detail to Motseng Project Management as well as Motseng Project Management’s clients, he takes a great interest in personnel to ensure his team is exceptional. “A company is as good as its staff, so I’m involved with all my team’s recruitment.”
The challenge starting out was for Motseng Project Management to break into the corporate market and get its foot in the door. With two years of successful projects behind it, what are the new goals, and what do the next few years hold? “From a financial, exposure and company point-of- view we are where we want to be, so our goal is not to maintain the standards we wanted to over-achieve them.”
Having built such a solid reputation in such a short time, Motseng Project Management is looking at expanding end-to-end services to wider sectors such as offices, medical offices hotels and conference sectors. While no two projects will ever look quite alike, that is part of the ongoing challenge which Motseng Project Management enjoys rising to every time. The ongoing high standards and high achievements reinforce and reinvigorate both the company’s ability to gain new clients and new contracts, but also staff motivation.
“Our staff carries across the passion and the pride… where there’s a lot of passion you do well.”
We anticipate great things for the future.
To learn more visit www.motseng.co.za
