Reside Awards 2026 celebrates South Africa’s residential property pioneers

Residential Lifetime Achiever of the year Platinum Award

Now in its fourth year, the Reside Awards have become the definitive benchmark for innovation, sustainability, and leadership across the residential sector. The 2026 programme reflected the industry’s growing maturity and diversity, recognising outstanding achievements across an expanded range of categories, from affordable housing and PropTech innovation to luxury estates and industry leadership.

A night of ground-breaking achievements

The evening celebrated a wide spectrum of excellence, with several standout projects and individuals earning top honours. Among the evening’s most celebrated winners was Africrest, which secured multiple platinum awards, including the Mid-Market Multi-Family Residential Project of the Year for The Maestro: Africrest Properties and the Residential Interior Design Project of the Year for The Silo: Africrest Residential.

Yethu City on Sisulu Street was named the Affordable Multi-Family Residential Project of the Year (Platinum), demonstrating how underutilised urban spaces can be transformed into vibrant, connected communities that place residents closer to opportunity.

In the luxury and lifestyle categories, Ellipse Waterfall took home the Luxury Multi-Family Residential Project of the Year (Platinum) award, while Zimbali Estate and Waterfall Equestrian Estate were named joint Platinum winners of the Lifestyle Estate of the Year category, recognising their exceptional contributions to large-scale, integrated living environments.

Excellence in community living

The Community Scheme of the Year award recognised residential schemes demonstrating excellence in managing a large number of leading and complaint residential schemes. The Platinum winner, George Rennie & Co, was praised for its advanced operational management, setting a benchmark for managing agents in South Africa.

PropTech and innovation take centre stage

The 2026 awards placed a strong emphasis on technological innovation, with the PropTech Innovator of the Year categories highlighting locally developed solutions reshaping the property landscape.

Meta-dology and Preferental were named joint platinum winners in the PropTech Innovator of the Year – Developer category. Meta-dology was recognised for transforming how developments are understood long before construction begins, while Preferental earned the award for its AI Screening & DepositPlus solution, which is transforming the residential rental experience for the South African market.

In the PropTech Innovator of the Year – Application category, eXp Realty South Africa received the Silver Award for its innovative use of international technology to create an impactful local platform.

Leadership across the sector

The evening also honoured individual excellence and company-wide impact. Keillen Ndlovu was named the Residential Contributor of the Year – Individual (Platinum), while Meta-dology and SAPIN (South African Property Investors Network) were announced as joint Platinum winners of the Residential Contributor of the Year – Company award.

Steve Brookes, CEO of Balwin Properties, received the evening’s most prestigious honour, the Residential Lifetime Achiever Award, in recognition of his transformative contribution to residential development in South Africa and his role in redefining lifestyle-focused living at scale.

Debbie Tagg, chair of the Reside Summit, commented: “The Reside Awards 2026 have once again demonstrated the extraordinary depth of talent and innovation within South Africa’s residential property sector. From groundbreaking social housing projects to world-class PropTech solutions, the winners are setting new benchmarks that will inspire the entire industry for years to come.”

Neale Petersen, editor in chief of Real Estate Investor and chair of the Reside Awards 2026, added: “This year’s winners reflect a sector that is not only building homes but also shaping communities, driving economic growth, and embracing technology to solve real-world challenges. We are proud to celebrate these changemakers and look forward to seeing their continued impact.”

A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors

The Reside Awards 2026 would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, who share our commitment to advancing South Africa’s residential property sector. We extend our sincere thanks to the South African Multifamily Residential Rental Association, Builders Warehouse, Lightstone, the Private Student Housing Association, the Community Schemes Ombud Service, the Social Housing Regulatory Authority, and the Southern African Home and Residential Alliance for their partnership and dedication.

Residential Contributer of the Year – Individual Platinum Award

Residential Contributer of the Year – Company Platinum Award

A full list of 2026 Reside Awards winners includes:

• Residential Contributor of the Year – Individual (Platinum): Keillen Ndlovu
  
• Residential Contributor of the Year – Company (Platinum – joint winners): Meta-dology & SAPIN
  
• Residential Contributor of the Year – Company (Gold): Prosperity Enterprises Investments (Pty) Ltd
  
• Residential Contributor of the Year – Company (Silver): Bright Light
  
• PropTech Innovator of the Year – Developer (Platinum – joint winners): Preferental (AI Screening & DepositPlus) & Meta-dology
  
• PropTech Innovator of the Year – Developer (Gold): Modus 10, The Virtual Agent, FindHomes
  
• PropTech Innovator of the Year – Application (Silver): eXp Realty South Africa
  
• Residential Construction Material/Product of the Year (Platinum): Uuka Eco-Bricks
  
• Affordable Multi-Family Residential Project (Platinum): Yethu City on Sisulu Street
  
• Affordable Multi-Family Residential Project (Gold): The Prestige: Africrest Residential
  
• Affordable Multi-Family Residential Project (Silver): Danville Eco Estate, The Cube Residential Apartments - Maitland
  
• Affordable Single-Family Residential Project (Gold): Lethabong Lifestyle Estate
  
• First Home Finance Residential Project (Platinum): Global Dreams Projects
  
• First Home Finance Residential Project (Gold): New Generation Seedlings
  
• Social Housing Project (Platinum): The Zuri Apartments
  
• Social Housing Project (Gold): Goodwood Station Social Housing Development, Ekhaya Gardens
  
• Breaking New Ground Residential Project (Platinum): Lethabong Lifestyle Estate
  
• Community Scheme of the Year / Managing Agent (Platinum): George Rennie & Co
  
• Residential Interior Design Project of the Year (Platinum): The Silo: Africrest Residential
  
• Mid-Market Multi-Family Residential Project (Platinum): King's Cross @ Castle Gate, The Maestro: Africrest Properties
  
• Mid-Market Multi-Family Residential Project (Gold): Herringbone - Divercity Urban Property Fund
  
• Mid-Market Multi-Family Residential Project (Silver): Seriti Estate
  
• Premium Multi-Family Residential Project (Silver): The Whisken - Balwin
  
• Luxury Multi-Family Residential Project (Platinum): Ellipse Waterfall
  
• Premium Single-Family Residential Project (Gold): Le Coste Lifestyle Estate
  
• Student Accommodation Residential Project (Platinum): ADOWA Living @ Ravenscraig House
  
• Student Accommodation Residential Project (Gold): Mpumelelo
  
• Student Accommodation Residential Project (Silver): Imam Haron House, Dakalo Student Accommodation
  
• Lifestyle Estate of the Year (Platinum – joint winners): Zimbali Estate & Waterfall Equestrian Estate
  
• Lifestyle Estate of the Year (Gold): The Blyde Riverwalk Estate, Seaton Estate-Balwin, CLARA ANNA FONTEIN
  
• Lifestyle Estate of the Year (Silver): Le Coste Lifestyle Estate, AVEC LA TERRE, The Estate (Fresnaye)
  
• Residential Property Management Company (Platinum): Preferental
  
• Residential Property Management Company (Gold): Afhco Property Management (Pty) Ltd, Ithemba Property Management, Prosperity Enterprises Property Group (Pty) Ltd
  
• Residential Property Management Company (Silver): Pro Admin - Property Managing Agency
  
• Residential Estate Agency of the Year – Large Agency (Platinum): Exp Realty South Africa
  
• Residential Estate Agency of the Year – Small Agency (Platinum): Nova Pearl Holdings (Pty) Ltd T/A Rawson Properties - The Orchards
  
• Property Practitioner of the Year – Small Agency (Platinum): Nokuthula Mbatha
  
• Residential Lifetime Achiever: Steve Brookes, CEO - Balwin Properties.

About the Reside Summit

Launched in 2023, the Residential Investment & Development (Reside) Summit aims to bridge the gap between stakeholders in the public and private sector, construction firms, property developers, investors, financial institutions, and industry bodies