Company Profile

Ntokozweni Developers started in Ladysmith in the early 80’s and is an energetic, equal opportunity, BEE compliant company with a CIDB registration of 6GB. We have embraced the challenges of building a new South Africa. We have been involved in a number of housing project initiatives, both of low income nature as well as higher level income housing and infrastructure developments. The company is well resourced with highly competent project management and facilitation staff with vast experience and knowledge in community development projects, especially low income housing developments. The fact that the company possesses vast plant and equipment substantially enhances the end value of the product.

James Austin Hanlon, an immigrant from Ireland, settled in Ladysmith in the early 70’s and set about a business of building homes for Ladysmith’s residents. Jeffrey Leonard Richmond, an old resident of Ladysmith, joined a family business in the late 70’s to sell real estate and explore other opportunities. The need to join forces of real estate sales and home construction became a reality in 1979 when Richmond and Hanlon, a Close Corporation, was formed to exploit these opportunities.

Our business plan is to purchase raw land at wholesale prices and convert this to residential lots, which are marketed at retail prices. All planning, development and civil infrastructure is handled in-house with out-sourcing of professional services and occasional plant hire. The use of key personnel to manage sub-contractors sourced from within the project areas place us in a position to ensure we assist in meeting the government goals to alleviate poverty, train and capacitate in administration and construction skills in an effort to support the Expanded Public Works Programme.

The company is aware of the early financial risk pertaining to housing projects and is in a position to carry such costs until Department of Human Settlements funding approval. The company also has good credit records with all suppliers and service providers which will also ensure good productivity in meeting the planned delivery targets.

In the case of the St Chads development, not only do the poor obtain shelter and sanitation in the form of a well-constructed 2-bedroom house and separate toilet, but they also obtain access to the road network, water reticulation to their sites and, most importantly, a Title Deed, giving them first-world ownership of the assets they now live in, this in turn gives them credibility at financial institutions where they can access start-up capital to create small and medium business enterprises which, we are convinced, is the backbone of any economy. Government alone cannot eradicate poverty, but can provide the stepping stone for each family/beneficiary to get a start with an asset which, in the case of St Chads, can be worth up to R100,000.

On the employment creation front, the St Chads project has created in excess of 100 jobs directly and indirectly probably in the order of 400 – 500.

We trust that our past performance in delivery of quality homes to our region will ensure that we continue to be of service to the community as we all strive for a better future.

Achievements

In 2012 Ntokozweni was one of 5 companies nominated in the category construction of the best informal settlement upgrading project in the Govan Mbeki Human Settlements Awards.

Awards NHBRC Homebuilder of the Year Awards