News • Young Professionals

In a major step towards inclusive growth and development in the real estate industry, Alleyroads Group and the Youth in Property Association (YIPA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a pioneering initiative designed to empower young, black property developers across South Africa by providing access to land, technical mentorship, and structured pathways to project funding.

The Paving the Way initiative seeks to address long-standing barriers that have limited youth participation in the formal property development space. Through the establishment of project-specific Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), the programme will offer emerging developers the opportunity to co-lead real estate development-ready land alongside experienced professionals. Alleyroads will contribute development-ready land as well as existing income-generating properties as equity into the SPVs, while YIPA will facilitate the identification, selection and support of qualifying youth participants.

“This is more than a development initiative—it is a generational investment in transformation for our country,” says Ivan Pretorius, Founder and CEO of Alleyroads. “We are proud to contribute land, income generating assets, expertise, and institutional knowledge to ensure young developers can meaningfully participate in and shape the built environment. Our goal is not only to empower the youth, but to shift the structure of the industry itself.”

Participants in the programme will be equipped with the tools and training required to manage end-to-end development processes, including project packaging, stakeholder coordination, construction oversight, and financial management. The programme will also provide ongoing mentorship and access to professional networks to enhance the commercial success and long-term sustainability of youth-led developments.

“This partnership represents a tangible solution to the systemic barriers that have locked young people out of the property sector. Through this model, we’re not only unlocking access to land and capital, which has been the main barrier to entry for young aspiring youth developers—we’re building credible developers with strong financial backing, governance, and track records. This is about placing real assets in the hands of future leaders,” notes YIPA Chairperson Sipho Mbadaliga CA(SA).

The implementation phase is now underway, with the first round of land parcels identified and legal structuring of the SPVs in progress. Funding applications are being prepared, and youth developer onboarding is set to begin shortly. The programme is being launched as a pilot phase, with a view to expansion based on performance and market support. We welcome selected investors and commercial banks to part take in this initiative in the form of investing to bridge this generational gap of property developers.

As part of the rollout of this programme, YIPA invites eligible and aspiring youth property developers to express their interest in participating. Candidates must have demonstrable experience or background in the property, finance, construction, or built environment sectors. To be considered, applicants are encouraged to complete a form.

Eligibility:

• Aged between 21 and 35-years old.
• South African citizen.
• Minimum of 1 to 2 years of experience in the built environment or property sector.
• Demonstrated commitment to a career in property development.
• Active member of YIPA.

Deadline to submit: Friday, 25th of July 2025.

This partnership signals a transformative shift toward building a more inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready real estate sector—one where emerging youth developers are empowered not only to participate, but to lead.

For more information, contact YIPA.