Words: Ann Ellis Brown

Eighty years ago a little girl was born in what was then called Umtata, and went on to attend boarding school in Port Elizabeth. She would later marry and have three children. In 1976 she started a real-estate agency in the Cape. Her ethics, loyalty and the relationships she formed with her clients grew that business into the Pam Golding Property Group, a leading player in the property industry at home and abroad.

For Pam’s birthday in October, we mocked up a pretend Property Magazine cover, featuring a photo of her, as a gift. The cover lines say things like: ‘Empire Building: From Her Garage to the Global Stage’, ‘Agent to the Stars’ and ‘A Passion for Property’. But the one that best encapsulates her guiding lights was ‘Value Propositions: Family Values, Empathy, Honesty and Experience’.
(Wouldn’t we be in the pound seats if all politicians displayed the qualities that have won her numerous awards, widespread recognition and respect?)

I just wish I’d added ‘intuition’ to that list. A perfect example of this innate quality was Pam’s intimate understanding of Sol Kerzner’s needs, which led her to suggest that he rather consider Klein Leeukoppie in Hout Bay instead of the Clifton lock-up-and-go he’d briefed her to find for him!

Pam was a founding member of ‘Proudly South African’ so she’ll have been pleased to hear that so many of our young expats living in London attended the Homecoming Revolution exhibition there. According to Seeff International’s Emarie Campbell (who was one of the exhibitors) those bright young things were all there with the express purpose of seeing what opportunities are available to them back in SA, the country they still consider home.

For those of us still here and with no intention of leaving, the December holidays are looming. Don’t stress if you can’t afford to jet away this year - the ski slopes aren’t going anywhere (well, yes, I know they are, but they’re moving very slowly) and by not flying you’re reducing your carbon footprint and doing your bit to keep the pistes where they should be.

Speaking of looking after the environment, we were delighted that The Property Magazine’s Lesley Andrews won a prize for putting together our Green ‘Hot Property’ pages at the SAB Environmentalist of the Year and Environmental Journalists of the Year Awards (which in itself is worthy of first prize in the Longest Name Awards). According to the judges: ‘Lesley Andrews has in quite a spectacular manner – through the aegis of a high-quality, large format property magazine – brought home the importance of environmentally sensitive architecture and building technologies. Environmentally appropriate, energy-conservative design of domestic housing as well as corporate buildings has been a neglected technology in South Africa resulting in some extremely energy-demanding structures. Lesley’s Green Page helps raise the standards of Green builders and décor suppliers and gives readers information about environmentally friendly products in the marketplace.’ Thank you to SAB and the judges for the recognition, and well done to Lesley.

Finally, back to the season of holly, folly and jollity: it’s a good time to find time to consider what is really important. If for you it also comes down to ‘Family Values, Empathy, Honesty and Experience’ don’t miss our interview with Pam Golding next month.