You are invited to attend APES+ talk titled - Thinking “Product Western Cape”: A Built Environment Perspective, by Deon van Zyl These are strange times of austerity, particularly with National Government’s inertia on CapEx projects. Municipalities, however, control their own budgets, and in the Western Cape this means local authorities stepping up and defining “Product Western Cape”, as a number have started to do. However, they can’t – and should not - do this without the input and advice of private sector Built Environment professionals. But although we consult to municipalities and engage with them on a daily basis, we have been extremely undemanding. As a collective, we now need to roll up our sleeves and no longer ask local authorities for permission to be involved in projects; we need to demand that we be allowed to help fix systems from the outside in. If we are not expressing our united voice on this and the urgency now required, then we are just part of the problem.

Deon van Zyl Chairperson, Western Cape Property Development Forum (WCPDF); Managing Director VORTO Deon van Zyl holds a degree in architecture from the University of the Free State, a diploma in project management and a master’s degree in urban design from the University of Cape Town. He cut his teeth in the redevelopment of brownfield land, with exposure to land remediation, and his passion lies in development facilitation through a multi-disciplinary approach. Deon is the Managing Director of the newly formed VORTO, a specialist development management consultancy which is part of the AL&A group of companies focused on the built environment. He has been the Chairperson of the WCPDF since 2011 and is a regular industry commentator, informed by various development industry sub-sectors aligned with the WCPDF.

RSVP to info@apes-ct.co.za by Friday 22nd Sept 2023 APES+ Members free; Guest R100; Students free on presenting a student card. Guest bookings kindly attach proof of payment to RSVP: Nedbank Branch: Cape Town – 10 0909 Account #: 1009 724 18