We are immensely proud of what our teams have accomplished, from our in-house project managers and visionary leadership to the architects, construction teams, and countless professionals involved in developing projects of this scale and nature. The transition from our hands to the CCPOA has been seamless, and it’s a privilege to come to work each day, driving through beautifully landscaped streets, knowing the precinct is clean, safe, and truly one of a kind. LEON COHEN, CHAIRMAN, RABIE HOLDINGS 06
WE BUILT
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THIS CITY
Rabie bought CC, April 2004, Leon Cohen, John Bestbier. Nedbank Capital, Johnny Rabie, Greg Deans
What made Century City a success is the shared vision we cultivated with Chris Blackshaw, CEO of the Century City Property Owners’ Association (CCPOA). Our close partnership with Chris has been the cornerstone in ensuring that Century City remains the best-managed precinct in the country, maintained to the highest standards. Chris brought something unique – his background with the City of Cape Town instilled a strong sense of corporate governance, which, when combined with a mutual passion for creating an exceptional place to live, work, and relax, set Century City apart. His and his team’s dedication matched ours, breaking barriers and dreaming big, and ensuring that these dreams were executed with world-class precision.
The Rabie Effect
Leon Cohen and Johnny Rabie began their entrepreneurial journey in the 1970s with a painting business. Recognising the abundance of vacant land in Cape Town’s southern suburbs, they soon saw an opportunity to expand into property development. At the time, it was common for individuals to purchase their own plots and build homes independently, but Cohen and Rabie sought to innovate within this space, eventually transitioning from painting to full-scale building projects. Recognising an opportunity, Rabie offered to construct homes on these plots at a lower cost. This idea soon evolved into something larger. The company acquired five plots in Constantia, purchasing them for around R10,000 each - a surprisingly low price for such a prestigious area. They decided to build homes, including furnishings and landscaping, offering a complete package.
The concept gained momentum in the 1980s, with Rabie constructing five houses per month. This success soon expanded to entire villages, covering vast areas of Cape Town’s southern suburbs. Larger developments followed which included award-winning Public Private Partnerships such as the Steenberg development in Tokai and Joe Slovo Park in Milnerton. A defining moment came in 2004 when Rabie invested in an ambitious project aimed at transforming a marshy wasteland into a vibrant mini-city. The property boom that occurred between 2001 and 2007 was a transformative period, marking the largest surge the country had ever witnessed. This development not only reshaped the landscape but also fundamentally changed the trajectory of Rabie, as it now had the opportunity to create an entire city from the ground up.
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There’s nowhere else quite like Century City!
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