UNITED IN A PASSION FOR EMPOWERMENT

WHAT does the world of property have in common with a former counter-intelligence officer in the South African Defence Force and an attorney who has been practising for nearly 25 years?

The answer is the sparkling new partnership that is the Dormehl Phalane Property Group - Durban's Owen Dormehl being the former Army employee and Pretoria's Tau Phalane being the law man.

They first met in Pretoria in September last year, when Dormehl, who has chalked up many years in the property business, sold Phalane a house there. They hit if off right away, and after putting their heads together, Phalane signed up in March as a partner in the fast-growing property company that Dormehl launched under his own moniker in 2009.

Dormehl had had his first taste of the professional property market late in 1993, when he applied for part-time work at a Kempton Park estate agency - and proudly points out that, having done his homework well, he managed to sell two houses while waiting for his interview. He was hired in a heartbeat.

Having long had a penchant for buying and fixing up houses for resale, Durban-born Dormehl always knew he would enjoy, and be successful at, channelling his time and talents into the property market, so he quit the military in 1996. He went on to become a half-partner in Acutts in Durban and, prior to that, worked at Brink after having held a part-time job at Pam Golding on the Bluff.

The first Dormehl branch opened in Pinetown, with partner Kevin Delport and Dormehl's wife, Amanda, contributing to its success. Within a month, eight experienced estate agents had become part of the crack team.

Dormehl, a Port Natal High School alumnus, next opened his head office in Westville's Church Road - and within 18 months Dormehl had seen 34 franchises spring up. The company now has 70 franchises countrywide.

The partnership with Phalane came about, Dormehl says, because both are passionate about empowerment.

"We are keen to ensure people of colour have opportunities in this industry, and to build bridges between different cultures. It is something we firmly believe in".

Phalane points that he and Owen work well as a team because they understand each other and are both optimistic about the property market’s future in this country.

Yes, South African property is going through tough times at the moment, Phalane readily acknowledges, but he remains confident that once political uncertainty settles down, there will be a return to confidence and growth. Dormehl Phalane Property Group, he fervently believes, will be at the forefront of that resurgence.

The company, he points out, has a growing presence in Cape Town, is big in KwaZulu-Natal and has been flourishing in Gauteng this year.

Phalane also praises Dormehl for wanting to bring more blacks into real estate and mentions that projects are in place, and still requiring funding, which should do just that.

"I am very involved in day-to-day decisions, but Owen has the energy to market Dormehl well, and is quick to recognise a bargain or an opportunity. He has more than 10 years of experience in this market and knows what he is doing. I also admire his social skills. In this business you need to be a 'people person'... and he is exactly that."

"Owen is also great with training and mentoring. He loves people and sees good in all."

Looking forward, Phalane hopes to grow the business into neighbouring countries and plans to bring his wife, Bogiwe, on board as a partner in coming months. She is a project officer in the Department of Agriculture, and has been there for 10 years.

Phalane was born in Pretoria, the third of eight children. He had always wanted to have his own business, so pursued a B Com degree at Rhodes and Venda universities, going on to attain his law degree from the Pietermaritzburg campus of the University of Kwazulu-Natal.

He opened Tau Phalane Inc Attorneys in Pretoria in 1992, soon after graduating, and is its executive director, employing 50 people in offices in Pretoria and Nelspruit.

Phalane is also in the process of forming another partnership - he recently connected with Pretoria conveyancer Riaan Klopper to form Phalane and Klopper Inc, trading as PK Attorneys, a partnership specialising in property law and real estate.

Away from work, Phalane loves nothing more than to garden, travel and spend time with his wife, four children - girls aged 18 and 16; boys aged 6 and 8 - and other members of his large family, many of whom also live in Pretoria.

He says his motto in life is "Persistance and hard work reaps rewards". And if he were to utter just one sentence as a recommendation for people to choose the Dormehl Phalane Property Group it would be, "We deliver!".