THE South African Multifamily Residential Rental Association (SAMRRA) has announced the appointment of Palesa Mkhize as its first full-time Chief Executive Officer, a move that signals both maturity and momentum in the country’s growing multifamily rental housing sector. Formed in 2024, SAMRRA is the industry body for institutional landlords and stakeholders in South Africa’s professionally managed, purpose-built rental housing market. The appointment of a permanent CEO reflects the sector’s shift toward institutionalisation, with more than R40-billion in assets and over 75 000 residential units now represented across SAMRRA’s membership.
Sector enters new phase of institutional growth
“The appointment of a dedicated CEO reflects the growing scale and strategic importance of professionally managed rental housing in South Africa,” said Myles Kritzinger, SAMRRA’s founding and outgoing CEO. “We’ve laid a strong foundation built on data transparency, aligned communities and long-term value. The next phase is about deepening that impact and unlocking further growth. Palesa is the right leader for this moment.” Mkhize steps into the role with over 16 years of experience in banking, infrastructure investment and housing finance. Most recently, she served as Head of Affordable Housing Development at Standard Bank’s Investment Banking Division, where she led large-scale housing projects, secured green construction funding from global institutions like the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and pioneered blended finance models in partnership with developers such as Calgro M3.
Her earlier roles included infrastructure and housing finance at Old Mutual Investment Group. Mkhize is well regarded in the industry for her ability to link capital, policy and housing delivery with social and economic inclusion.
“Multifamily is dignity, opportunity and stability – and it is a great investment,” Mkhize said. “SAMRRA is well placed to help shape a more inclusive and investable multifamily future for South Africa. Over the past 18 months, the organisation has established excellent momentum. I’m honoured to help carry that vision forward.”
Market shows strong fundamentals
Mkhize’s appointment comes as the multifamily rental housing market demonstrates increasing resilience and appeal to institutional investors. According to data from SAMRRA, average occupancy rates in the sector exceed 95%, rent collections consistently top 98%, and tenant arrears remain below 1% — outperforming many traditional commercial real estate benchmarks.
These figures highlight the growing stability and investability of purpose-built rental schemes, especially in the face of ongoing economic volatility.
A mandate to grow transparency and investment
As CEO, Mkhize will focus on three core priorities: improving transparency in the sector, boosting investor confidence, and enabling data-driven decision-making. Her leadership is expected to help accelerate capital flows into this emerging asset class and position SAMRRA as a key voice in shaping housing policy and private sector collaboration.
