Nkosazana Kondlo

What does your company do?

Founded in 2012 Olive Works is a 100% Black female owned and led business with a strong commitment to making a contribution and a mark in male dominated sectors particularly in the space of construction and property space. We offer comprehensive Construction Services, Real Estate and Property Management Services. We take pride in our expertise, industry compliances and understand the complexities of construction practices in the mining sector and the dynamics of managing listed properties such as retail assets and commercial assets. Our approach is not just business as usual we take time to adapt to our client’s unique assets ensuring that property management needs are met with precision and care assisting developers, Landlord and property owners to effectively maximize their properties

What is your biggest success?

With 20 years of experience in the Property sector and involvement in over 65 retail projects across the country, I have held hand picked key positions at Investec Property Fund and Liberty Portfolio. We have secured various retail development mandates for strategic leasing mandates for various Retail & Mixed use developments in the Limpopo region, one of them valued at R500million. We are proud to collaborate with Maxxliving, an international visionary developer dedicated to promoting the Netherlands' eco-lifestyle in South Africa. Through this partnership we have been mandated to sell a residential development of 650 eco home in the Lanseria area. I've been the recipient of SEDA Asset Assist Grant and also a beneficiary of the Property Practioners Regulatory Authority Empowerment grant. Winner of the Delloitte Business Pitch Aspire business I have been invited as a speaker at the upcoming Africa Global Leadership Summit & Impact Awards scheduled for the 19 June 2025.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

Both Construction and Property industry is monopolized and male dominated sector that often confronts us with gender biasness. To substantiate this reality according to the South Africa Real Estate Market size was valued at USD 60.9 million (R1,1Billion) in 2023 , and is predicted to reach USD 98.4 million (R1,8Billion) by 2030, at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2024 to 2030.Statistics South Africa reported in March 2024 that the South African Construction sector contributed an annualized added value of R109. 5 billion rand to the South African Gross Domestic Product in the fourth quarter of 2023. • 80% of property ownership is concentrated among white South Africans. • Black Women hold only 3% of the sector’s wealth. Operational barriers such as land acquisition challenges, Limited Funding that makes it difficult to play as a developer in the sector.