About

Origin of the our name (Mamre)

The name comes from the book of Genesis, from the great oaks of Mamre near Hebron, where Abraham pitched his tent, rested in their shade, and welcomed three unexpected visitors with open hospitality. It was a place of dwelling, rest and welcome, a fitting namesake for a company built around helping people feel at home in the communities they share.

OUR STORY

The firm was founded in 1999 by Gideon S. Bronkhorst, a serial entrepreneur who had already built a career developing homes and high-density apartment buildings. Gideon recognised that shared-ownership communities (what we'd today call community schemes) needed dedicated, professional management. He was hands-on and practical-minded, and knew what it would take to maintain property value in a highly competitive market.

Shortly after founding the company, Gideon was joined by his son, Chris C. Bronkhorst, whose affinity for accounting brought a new level of financial discipline to the business. From early on, proper financial control, for the firm and for every client scheme it managed, became one of Mamre's defining strengths.

In 2006, Willem J. Louw joined the team as Managing Director, bringing a natural skill for managing people and running meetings and rounding out a leadership team built on three complementary strengths: hands-on practicality, financial discipline, and people management. It's no coincidence that this is also when Mamre's growth began to gain real momentum, growing into one of the fastest-growing managing agents in the sectional title and home owners' association industry. The three directors shared a passion for delivering the best possible management service, with a personal touch in every interaction, a standard that still guides the company today.

Gideon passed away in December 2016, but his dream and his legacy live on. The second and third generations of the Bronkhorst family remain actively involved in the firm he founded.

In 2017, Elsa Pieters joined the board, bringing a fresh perspective and a sharp instinct for business and people. Under this leadership, Mamre has continued to grow while holding onto what has always set it apart: it remains a family-oriented company with a keen focus on technology, and a genuine commitment not just to growing the business, but to enriching every employee and client it works with.

A Changing Legislative Landscape

When Gideon founded Mamre in 1999, the industry looked very different. Sectional title schemes were governed by the Sectional Titles Act of 1986, and there was no single legal category covering the many forms of shared-ownership communities that exist today. The term “community scheme” was only formally recognised on 7 October 2016, when the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act and the Community Schemes Ombud Service Act came into force.

Together, these Acts brought the various forms of shared-ownership communities under one regulatory umbrella, introduced stricter reserve fund and financial transparency requirements, and established CSOS as an independent body to regulate governance and resolve disputes.

The regulatory landscape shifted again in 2022, when the Property Practitioners Act replaced the old Estate Agency Affairs Act, and the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) made way for the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA). Where the previous regime only regulated estate agents, the new Act broadened the definition of a “property practitioner” to explicitly include managing agents, anyone who manages property for reward on behalf of another. Requirements that had only ever applied to estate agents, such as holding a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate, maintaining proper trust accounts, and carrying professional indemnity insurance, now applied to managing agents too. In effect, it formalised at a national regulatory level the standards of accountability and professionalism Mamre had already built its reputation on.

The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) added a further layer of responsibility. POPIA came into effect on 1 July 2020, with businesses given until 30 June 2021 to become fully compliant. As a managing agent, Mamre holds sensitive personal and financial information for clients, and POPIA made the business directly accountable for how that information is collected, used, stored and shared. In response, Mamre improved its internal policies and practices to keep client information secure and compliant.

Mamre has adapted through every one of these changes.

MISSION, NORMS AND VISION

Mission:

Our mission is to be the leading property manager, safeguarding the interests of our clients, owners, staff and suppliers in everything we do.

Norms:

Mamre is committed to professional conduct and the highest ethical standards in everything we do.
Mamre operates every part of our business on sound business principles.
Mamre respects the human dignity of its staff and deems them and our clients to be an indispensable asset.
Mamre does not discriminate against any person, for any reason.
Mamre manages client funds with full transparency and accountability.
Mamre invests in the growth and development of our people.
Mamre builds long-term relationships, not just transactions.

Vision:

To be the property manager clients, owners and staff trust and recommend, built on service excellence, innovation and sustainable growth.

Creating an extraordinary customer experience, from first enquiry to everyday service delivery.
Ensuring quality, responsiveness and reliability in everything we do for our clients.
Delivering the same personal, hands-on service to every scheme we manage, no matter how large we grow.
Leading the industry in compliance and governance standards.
Innovating to improve the quality of our core service
Providing a rewarding and enjoyable work environment for our employees.
Ensuring the financial strength and sustainable growth of the company, for the benefit of all our stakeholders.