WOMEN SHAPING THE FUTURE, TOGETHER

Established in 1978, Rabie Property Developers has spent nearly five decades shaping Cape Town’s urban landscape. CEO Mariska Auret and her colleagues across the business share what drives them, and what it means to build places that last.

When Mariska Auret was appointed CEO of Rabie Property Developers in July 2024, she made history as the first woman to lead a property development company in the Western Cape. It was a milestone built not on circumstance, but on a decade of deliberate work: joining Rabie as a project manager in 2014, earning a directorship in 2020 and stepping into the CEO role with a clear conviction that development done well is about far more than buildings.

Mariska Auret, CEO

What does your role involve? My role is to provide strategic direction while ensuring every project aligns with Rabie’s long-term vision. Development is about far more than building and selling property; it is about creating places that add lasting value to communities and the people who live there. If a project doesn’t add long-term value to a precinct, we don’t undertake it. Property development is ultimately a people business, and we spend significant time building relationships, solving problems and helping our teams turn great ideas into successful developments.

What do you enjoy most about the industry? What excites me most is the opportunity to shape the future of our city. Every development starts with a blank piece of paper and a vision for what that place could become. We invest enormous energy in the early planning stages, working with architects and planners to design spaces around how people actually live and move, rather than treating buildings as standalone assets. There is something incredibly rewarding about standing on a site years later and seeing families, businesses and communities thriving in a place that once existed only as an idea.

What has been one of your proudest moments? Oasis Life is particularly close to my heart. Being part of the team that pioneered that retirement brand, helping redefine what later life can look like through vibrant, connected communities, has been deeply meaningful. Watching Ratanga Park come to life has been equally rewarding. Transforming an old theme park into a thriving mixed-use precinct with over 800 residential front doors, a conference centre, hotels and commercial buildings perfectly reflects Rabie’s long-term approach to placemaking.

What is your vision for Cape Town’s development future? Cape Town faces real pressure to densify and deliver housing closer to transport and economic nodes. With natural land constraints, we need to think differently. Thoughtfully delivered mixed-use projects are going to play a much bigger role going forward. We invest heavily in parks, waterways, sustainable infrastructure and public spaces, creating the foundations for thriving communities long before the buildings go up. That is not just good design, it is good urbanism.

What advice would you give to women entering the industry? I joined Rabie as a project manager and worked my way up to CEO. Along the way I learned that leadership is not about having all the answers; it is about building trust, working hard and backing yourself when opportunities arise. Being the first woman in this role in the Western Cape is not lost on me. It comes with a responsibility, to lead well, to open doors and to show others what is possible. That is not a burden. It is a privilege.

Success does not come without sacrifice, and there is no substitute for consistent effort. Never stop learning, and never underestimate the power of relationships. Be confident in what you bring to the table, invest in people, and always treat others with respect. Your reputation is built over a lifetime. Across project and construction management, legal, client service, finance and marketing, colleagues across the business bring the same people-first philosophy to their work every day.

Project Management: Lizeri Serfontein & Shumerah Pendaris

Lizeri Serfontein and Shumerah Pendaris bring a hands-on, people-focused approach to project management, coordinating teams, timelines and client relationships across the lifecycle of a development. For both, the reward lies in the problem-solving: watching a development evolve step by step from plans on paper into a finished space, and being part of the moment a purchaser connects with their new home. Both are driven by the same conviction, that the work they do has a lasting impact on people’s everyday lives. That same energy is reflected in Asemahle Mndita, a construction project management intern who brings fresh, sustainability-conscious thinking to the team, proof that Rabie’s pipeline of future talent is in good hands.

Client Service: Revena Naidoo & Lesley-Ann Reid

Buying a home is one of the most significant decisions a person will make. Revena Naidoo guides clients from contract through to community, serving as their central point of contact throughout the process. Lesley-Ann Reid oversees the interior journey: finishes selections, contractor coordination and final handover. Together they cover the full arc of the client experience.

For Revena, the most rewarding part of the role is getting to know each client and hearing their stories. Good service, she says, starts with communication and managing expectations, listening carefully and offering reassurance throughout what is often the most significant milestone in a client’s life.
For Lesley-Ann, every client’s journey is unique, and there is nothing quite like seeing a client’s happiness when they finally receive the keys to their new home. She believes good client service is ultimately about how you make people feel. Both agree that what sets Rabie apart is its genuine commitment to long-term relationships and to creating spaces where families can truly feel at home.

Legal: Ané Janse van Rensburg, Cheryleen Naidoo & Olivia Malgas

Rabie’s legal team is led by Ané Janse van Rensburg, Head of Legal, supported by legal advisor Cheryleen Naidoo and conveyancing administrator and legal assistant Olivia Malgas. Together, they are the gatekeepers behind every transaction, managing risk, ensuring compliance, and keeping deals moving smoothly and on time. What they value most is being part of a development’s full journey, from conception to completion. That reward is amplified by the team itself, which credits a strong, complementary dynamic and a company culture where integrity, excellence and staff wellbeing are genuinely prioritised. Among the moments that stand out, the team recalls playing key roles in multi-million rand transactions and even meeting sports heroes who’ve purchased a Rabie home. But one memory captures what the work means most deeply: a handwritten thank-you card and flowers from a terminally ill client, who felt guided with care and dignity while choosing the right home for her spouse to live in after she was gone. “Moments like that remind you why this work matters,” they say.

Finance: Ingrid Visser & Lene Dippenaar

Ingrid Visser (Group Financial Manager) and Lene Dippenaar (Finance Manager) bring a broad commercial lens to Rabie’s operations, reviewing financial results, working through tax matters, assisting with property valuations and resolving operational challenges as they arise.

“If a problem survives long enough without finding an owner, it eventually finds its way to me,” says Ingrid, “and I’m always keen for the challenge.” Her experience as a woman in the industry has been a positive one, shaped by mentors who invested time in teaching, supporting and helping her grow.
For Lene, the reward lies in the collaboration. “I value the collaborative nature of working within a team,” she says. “It provides the opportunity to engage with colleagues across different departments, working towards a shared goal, and exchanging ideas while problem-solving together.” She is equally driven by the analytical side of the role, transforming raw data into practical insights that support strategic decision-making, work she describes as challenging but intellectually stimulating.

Marketing: Michelle Fenwick

Michelle Fenwick leads the storytelling behind Rabie’s developments, shaping brand strategy, campaigns, digital content and buyer communication for some of Cape Town’s most recognisable precincts. Today’s buyers are not just purchasing a unit, but buying into a lifestyle and a community, which makes authenticity essential. What she loves most about working at Rabie is the infectious pride the team takes in what they build, a sense that every project matters, not just commercially, but in its lasting contribution to the city.

Together, these women embody a broader truth about what the property industry looks like when it gets things right: leadership earned through experience, relationships treated as long‑term investments and success measured not only by sales but by contributions to the city around them. For Rabie, this philosophy has endured for nearly five decades. As Mariska and her team demonstrate, the most lasting achievements are not concrete and glass, but trust, commitment and care for communities long after the cranes depart.

Cape Town is a city being shaped right now, by those who choose to build thoughtfully, ambitiously and with the next generation in mind. At Rabie, that work is very much in progress, and these women are proud to be part of it.
www.rabie.co.za