𝙊𝙍𝙀𝙏𝙎𝘼 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙄𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮-𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝘼𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙋𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣
ORETSA has formally written to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA), and Board. The Minister of Human Settlements, Services SETA, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), calling for the immediate suspension of the proposed competency-based alternative pathway.
ORETSA’s position is that the implementation of such a significant change to the professional development and entry requirements of property practitioners should only proceed once a proper, transparent and inclusive consultation process has been concluded with all relevant stakeholders to the advantage of all learners.
A media statement announcing the implementation of a new pathway effective 1 August 2026 by PPRA should not replace meaningful industry consultation, particularly where the changes may affect candidates, learners, property practitioners, real estate agencies, skills development providers and the broader real estate profession.
ORETSA therefore respectfully requests that the competency-based alternative pathway to be placed on hold until:
- All relevant regulatory, education and training authorities have been properly consulted.
- Real estate industry stakeholders and skills development providers have been given a meaningful opportunity to participate.
- The regulatory and qualification implications of the alternative pathway have been clearly communicated.
- All consultation processes have been concluded and formal outcomes and decisions have been communicated to the industry.
ORETSA remains committed to constructive engagement with all relevant authorities and supports initiatives that promote accessible, proper career pathways to all learners while protecting the quality, qualifications, credibility and professional standards of the South African real estate sector.
We will continue to keep candidates, learners, property practitioners, real estate agencies and skills development providers informed as the consultation process are currently progressing.
Once the relevant authorities have concluded their consultation processes and communicated their decisions, ORETSA will provide the industry with a further update on the outcomes and the way forward. To the advantage of learners.
𝙊𝙍𝙀𝙏𝙎𝘼
Supporting Professional Standards, Quality Education and a Sustainable Real Estate Profession
www.oretsa.org.za