About Us

The Johannesburg Property Owners and Managers Association (JPOMA) represents most Johannesburg Inner-City property investors and managing agents who are active in the rejuvenation of the Inner-City through building upgrades, conversions and effective urban and building management.

JPOMA was established in 2003 to represent credible landlords, managing agents and property owners active in the Inner-City.

As of 2023 JPOMA members represent a combined property portfolio of over R18 billion and provide over 70,000 affordable housing units accommodating around 350,000 tenants and 600,000m² of retail, commercial and light industrial space. Members provide direct and indirect employment for over 6000 people. JPOMA addresses matters of common interest to its members, including industry lobbying, council service delivery, energy efficiency, benchmarking, tenant rights, affordability, inner-city rejuvenation and precinct upgrades.

JPOMA’s biggest trading partner is The City of Johannesburg, with 40% of property owners’ operational costs being paid to the municipality.  Our members effectively administer services to and collect from over 60,000 households, assuming all of the risk. They effectively operate as miniature municipalities.

After the creation of safe and functional accommodation, attention naturally turns to the built environment around the buildings. JPOMA works closely with the various City Improve Districts (CID’s), which our property owners fund and supervise, ensuring clean and safe public areas around their buildings.

JPOMA members are active in significant community development, creating schools, creches and after care facilities. Members support arts and culture in the inner city, either through art galleries, walking tours and open-air libraries. It is about creating a safe and clean environment both within and around their buildings. We actively support building communities and neighbourhoods. In doing so we help to create a vibrant and functioning inner-city and this contributes exponentially to the greater economy.

While JPOMA membership is voluntary, its members are expected to:

1. Adhere to the JPOMA Memorandum of Incorporation and Code of Conduct.

2. Use their best endeavours to ensure that their buildings adhere to the highest standard of:

  • Maintenance
  • Management
  • By-law compliance
  • Security
  • Safety

  • Affordability for tenants: This is not just about rental. The impact of administered charges from City are significant, especially at the low end of the market

3. Use their best endeavours to ensure that tenants and prospective tenants:

  • Are treated with dignity and respect
  • Receive value for money
  • Are adequately and appropriately communicated with
  • Are dealt with in terms of the law

4. Main benefits of becoming a JPOMA member:

  • Access to JPOMA VIP Billing team at City of Johannesburg (if billing queries are not resolved in 30 days, they are escalated through me to our VIP team at council)
  • Assisting with Resellers Tariffs (JPOMA negotiated with City Power that property managers and developers can register as electricity resellers and receive a 9 % discount.  This is to cover the infrastructure installation and maintenance as well as collection fees)
  • Updates on policies and council issues (new and changes)
  • Comments on policies on behalf of members (we usually use a consultant.  E.g., Land Use Scheme comments)
  • Comments and objections to annual tariff increases on behalf of members.
  • Lobbying council on various matters like service delivery, rising administrative costs, customer service.  We currently have 2 class actions against council for sewer tariffs and refuse tariffs.
  • I attend all CoJ meetings and discussions on behalf of members and give feedback at General Meetings.
  • Co-ordinated and consistent engagement between City Administration and private sector.
  • Best practice
  • Industry specific webinars
  • Innovation in the market
  • Access to the JPOMA Building Managers Course, developed by JPOMA members.  JPOMA members get preferential rates.
  • Negotiating bulk discount for various training (fire, 1st Aid, OHS, fire marshal).
  • Access to preferred suppliers through Vetted Africa (this is new and ongoing).
  • Connecting developers, managing agents and property owners.
  • Mentorship Programme (this is new and ongoing).
  • Legal opinions on industry specific issues (electricity cutoffs for non-payment of rent – current).
  • Various data collecting surveys (council performance, member data etc.).
  • General meetings take place on the 2nd Thursday of every third month.  Here we update members and open the floor for any issues that need clarity or investigation. 

JPOMA Currently has two class actions against The City of Johannesburg:
Sewer: Tariffs, category changes, back-billing
Refuse: Tariff, back-billing

Contact GM Angela Rivers on angela@jpoma.co.za for more information on these class actions

 

JPOMA Milestones

If you would like to learn more about JPOMA and some of it’s achievements, please click the button below to visit our Milestones page. Get in touch with us on the contacts page, with any comments or questions.
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