NRF and PPRA to Host Property Sector Research Colloquium to Advance Transformation and Innovation in South Africa's Property Market

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA), in collaboration with Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and the Department of Human Settlements (DHS), will host the Property Sector Research Colloquium from 5 to 6 November 2025 in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.

Members of the media are invited to attend this important engagement, which aims to advance transformation, innovation, inclusivity, and professionalisation within South Africa’s property market. Minister of Human Settlements, Ms Thembi Simelane, will deliver a keynote address. Other distinguished speakers include the PPRA Board Chairperson, Ms Queendy Gungubele; PPRA Chief Executive Officer, Ms Thato Ramaili; NRF Chief Executive Officer, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo and NMU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sibongile Muthwa.

The Colloquium, to be held under the theme A Sustainable and Inclusive Property Market, emerged as one of the key outcomes of the first PPRA-NRF Property Sector Research Conference. Hosted at the NRF corporate offices on 1 March 2023, the conference aimed to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9), which emphasises innovation, sustainable infrastructure, and inclusive industrialisation as key drivers of economic transformation.

The NRF participated in both the 2023 Conference and the upcoming Colloquium as part of its industry engagement approach, which aims to strengthen collaboration between industry, government, and academia in addressing critical socio-economic challenges, including those related to human settlements. At the 2023 conference, the NRF and PPRA also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on research and research-support initiatives in the property and human settlements sectors. This partnership seeks to enhance research capacity, foster evidence-based policymaking, and advance national imperatives that promote an inclusive, sustainable, and professionally regulated property market.

The Colloquium will bring together leaders from industry, government, academia, and regulatory bodies to address the persistent challenges facing South Africa’s property market, a sector that remains marked by inequality, barriers to entry, and limited participation among historically disadvantaged groups.

Through research-driven dialogue and collaboration, the Colloquium aims to generate practical, evidence-based solutions to advance transformation, inclusivity, and professionalisation within the property industry. Discussions will explore pathways toward creating a sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready property market that contributes meaningfully to South Africa’s economic growth and social transformation.

Event Details:

Date: 05-06 November 2025 

Time: 9h00 

Venue: Ocean Sciences Campus,Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 

For media enquiries and accreditation, please contact: Bongani Nkosi Media Relations Officer, NRF Corporate Communications, b.nkosi@nrf.ac.za, +27 61 477 3064