Just days after announcing their title sponsorship of the Colin Mayer Tour mountain bike stage race in Mauritius in October, Grit Real Estate Income Group (GRIT) announced its sponsorship of the 4th annual Oakley X-Over event, powered by Sharp, cementing the GRIT brand firmly within the family sporting community in Mauritius and South Africa. The popular, 2-day Oakley X-Over sports-celebrity event took place 20-21 July as part of the J-Bay Winterfest and comprised three vastly different disciplines – a 15km mountain bike race, a surfing contest, and 9-holes of golf.

This year’s sporting celebrities was a star-studded list of Who’s Who in Sport – Jean De Villiers, Dale Steyn, Greg Minnaar, John Smit, Jordy Smith, Ryan Sandes, Garreth McLellan, Giniel De Villiers, Raynard Tissink, Ruan de Smidt, Lance Isaacs, Nick de Wit, Kerim Fitzgerald, Butch James, Seabelo Senatla, Tonderai Chavhanga, Australian wildcard, Tom Whitaker, and radio and TV personality, Ryan O’Connor.         In the mountain bike race, multiple Downhill Mountain Bike World Champ, Greg Minnaar, rode into the lead to stay ahead of last year’s overall winner, Raynard Tissink, with Giniel De Villiers finishing third.                                                                                                     

The surf event held at Kitchen Windows was unsurprisingly won by Australian surfer, Tom Whitaker. He put on an innovative display in the Kitchen Windows surf, defeating Dale Steyn and Greg Minnaar, who finished second and third respectively. In the last event, the X-Over Golf Tournament at the Links Golf Course, South African golfer, Ruan De Smidt, took the win ahead of Butch James and Garreth McLellan, aka Soldier Boy, MMA’s favourite champion. Once the final tally was calculated, Greg Minnaar was crowned the overall winner of the 2017 Oakley X-Over. The competition runner-up was former South African rugby player, Butch James, and third place went to ex-Springbok captain, John Smit.  

Said GRIT Director, and former pro-surfer, Greg Pearson, “This brand association was perfect for GRIT. Here were the toughest sporting individuals in the world taking on each other in disciplines other than their own, and fighting to the end. Similarly, as a company, we compete in the toughest industry and go to war every day for our clients, challenging beliefs on what is possible, proving it’s not what you do that counts but who you are that makes the difference. And we are the best. It takes guts, resilience, initiative and tenacity to succeed – real grit!” Recently, Grit Real Estate Income Group rebranded from Mara Delta to better reflect the current and future growth ambitions of the Company.            

The new brand positioning captures the Group’s entrepreneurial and determined spirit, and its ambitions for growth in Africa while entrenching international appeal and stature. Grit has experienced substantial growth over the last few years, having recently paid its sixth consecutive distribution and has set even bolder growth ambitions for the near future, including listing on the London Stock Exchange. “The Oakley X-Over Celebrity Challenge strongly aligns with our motto of ‘work hard and play hard’ and we are very excited to be associated with the event,” comments Pearson. The J-Bay Winterfest took place from 12-23 July, and comprises the Oakley X-Over, the Corona Open J-Bay World Surf League Championship Tour event, the J-Bay Loggers Classic surf contest, the Endurade J-BayX Trail Run, the J-Bay Wind Farm MTB Classic, the Coldwater Classic open-water swim, fishing, kite festival, motocross and more.  

About Grit Real Estate Income Group Grit is the largest and only pan-African focused real estate income group listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Mauritius.  The Company focuses exclusively on real estate assets on the continent (excluding South Africa), underpinned by US Dollar and Euro denominated long-term leases with high quality tenants, delivering strong sustainable income.  

Grit manages in excess of US$ 600 million worth of assets (post transfer of current acquisitions) with access to numerous acquisition opportunities. These include a strong pipeline of quality assets in Mauritius, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Morocco and others.  The Company’s immediate strategy is to consolidate opportunities within current countries of operation before expanding into other geographies.  

www.grit.group

Just days after announcing their title sponsorship of the Colin Mayer Tour mountain bike stage race in Mauritius in October, Grit Real Estate Income Group (GRIT) announced its sponsorship of the 4th annual Oakley X-Over event, powered by Sharp, cementing the GRIT brand firmly within the family sporting community in Mauritius and South Africa. The popular, 2-day Oakley X-Over sports-celebrity event took place 20-21 July as part of the J-Bay Winterfest and comprised three vastly different disciplines – a 15km mountain bike race, a surfing contest, and 9-holes of golf. This year’s sporting celebrities was a star-studded list of Who’s Who in Sport – Jean De Villiers, Dale Steyn, Greg Minnaar, John Smit, Jordy Smith, Ryan Sandes, Garreth McLellan, Giniel De Villiers, Raynard Tissink, Ruan de Smidt, Lance Isaacs, Nick de Wit, Kerim Fitzgerald, Butch James, Seabelo Senatla, Tonderai Chavhanga, Australian wildcard, Tom Whitaker, and radio and TV personality, Ryan O’Connor.                                                                           

In the mountain bike race, multiple Downhill Mountain Bike World Champ, Greg Minnaar, rode into the lead to stay ahead of last year’s overall winner, Raynard Tissink, with Giniel De Villiers finishing in third. The surf event held at Kitchen Windows was unsurprisingly won by Australian surfer, Tom Whitaker. He put on an innovative display in the Kitchen Windows surf, defeating Dale Steyn and Greg Minnaar, who finished second and third respectively. In the last event, the X-Over Golf Tournament at the Links Golf Course, South African golfer, Ruan De Smidt, took the win ahead of Butch James and Garreth McLellan, aka Soldier Boy, MMA’s favourite champion. Once the final tally was calculated, Greg Minnaar was crowned the overall winner of the 2017 Oakley X-Over. The competition runner-up was former South African rugby player, Butch James, and third place went to ex-Springbok captain, John Smit.  

Said GRIT Director, and former pro-surfer, Greg Pearson, “This brand association was perfect for GRIT. Here were the toughest sporting individuals in the world taking on each other in disciplines other than their own, and fighting to the end. Similarly, as a company, we compete in the toughest industry and go to war every day for our clients, challenging beliefs on what is possible, proving it’s not what you do that counts but who you are that makes the difference. And we are the best. It takes guts, resilience, initiative and tenacity to succeed – real grit!” Recently, Grit Real Estate Income Group rebranded from Mara Delta to better reflect the current and future growth ambitions of the Company.            

The new brand positioning captures the Group’s entrepreneurial and determined spirit, and its ambitions for growth in Africa while entrenching international appeal and stature. Grit has experienced substantial growth over the last few years, having recently paid its sixth consecutive distribution and has set even bolder growth ambitions for the near future, including listing on the London Stock Exchange. “The Oakley X-Over Celebrity Challenge strongly aligns with our motto of ‘work hard and play hard’ and we are very excited to be associated with the event,” comments Pearson. 

The J-Bay Winterfest took place from 12-23 July, and comprises the Oakley X-Over, the Corona Open J-Bay World Surf League Championship Tour event, the J-Bay Loggers Classic surf contest, the Endurade J-BayX Trail Run, the J-Bay Wind Farm MTB Classic, the Coldwater Classic open-water swim, fishing, kite festival, motocross and more.  

About Grit Real Estate Income Group 

Grit is the largest and only pan-African focused real estate income group listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Mauritius.  The Company focuses exclusively on real estate assets on the continent (excluding South Africa), underpinned by US Dollar and Euro denominated long-term leases with high quality tenants, delivering strong sustainable income.  

Grit manages in excess of US$ 600 million worth of assets (post transfer of current acquisitions) with access to numerous acquisition opportunities.

These include a strong pipeline of quality assets in Mauritius, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Morocco and others.  The Company’s immediate strategy is to consolidate opportunities within current countries of operation before expanding into other geographies.  

www.grit.group 

https://www.facebook.com/GritGroup/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc-jEnXA7AUWRBh2PxA2_NA

Mara Delta Bats with Maasai Warriors to save last three Northern White Rhino  

SOUTH AFRICA, GAUTENG, SANDTON, 4 JULY 2017 - There is a unique thread linking Maasai Warriors, Grease Lightening, White Rhino, Cricket, hornï Underwear and Mara Delta Property Holdings, Africa’s largest and only SEM and JSE-listed real estate income group, and it’s driven by the courage to take on new seemingly-impossible challenges, to build the foundations of stability, and turn ambition into reality. Embarking, arguably, on the most important mission of their lifetimes, a global collection of accomplices could not have united at a more crucial time in their lives for the plight of the near-extinct Northern White Rhino. 

On the 18th and 19th of June, in the foothills of Mount Kenya in the OI Pejeta Conservancy, home to the world’s last three Northern White Rhino subspecies, saw an important fund-and-awareness-raising cricket event take place, signifying the launch of Mara Delta’s Rhino Anti-poaching corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign, which will continue into Africa over the next six months.  The Last Male Standing T20 Rhino Cup is an animal welfare event held annually in Ol Pejeta, Kenya.

This event helps to create funds and awareness of the plight of the Northern White Rhino and the greater risk of poaching and ivory/rhino horn trade out of East Africa. This is no ordinary cricket event. Here, in this iconic Kenyan Conservancy, a team of eight battle-dressed Maasai Warriors batted it out against the Ambassadors, a mixed team of eight corporates, including Mara Delta’s Director, Greg Pearson, all exhibiting the determination that is the backbone of Africa, and proving that despite all their differences, in culture, in achievements, in aspirations, they all share the will to build a stronger, more resilient world, where setbacks are stepping stones and victories are game changers. Last Male Standing is a collaborative effort between Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the British Army (BATUK), Fauna & Flora International, Australian High Commission (Kenya), the East Africa Cricket Foundation, Last Man Stands, the Primary Club of Australia, the Obuya Cricket Academy, and the Maasai Cricket Warriors.  Kenyan born and raised, Rob Stevenson is the organiser of Kenya’s Last Male Standing Rhino Cup (LMS) for the past 3 years, and set up LMS to help rhino conservation in Kenya and cricket development in the Kenyan region.

 Last Male Standing has approximately 6000 teams playing T20 cricket globally to raise funds and awareness for the OI Pejeta Conservancy.   Says Stevenson, “In the conservancy, they have the last three Northern White Rhino of which one is ‘Sudan’ a 100-year-old male Northern White Rhino, the last of his species, hence the name Last Male Standing. Last Male Standing supports the conservancy, and the region’s community and cricket development.  LMS has grown over the past three years to 24 teams playing from South Africa, Australia, Mauritius and local. Our games are T10 with 8 in a team.

This weekend, a strong local team, the Obuya Cricket Academy, chased down 73 runs to win the Last Male Standing Rhino Cup 2017.” Mara Delta Property Holdings, with real estate assets in Mauritius, Kenya, Morocco, Zambia and Mozambique, has selected this all-important, under-resourced Rhino Conservancy as one of its primary CSR projects.  In addition to this, Mara Delta has formed a collaboration with hornï Underwear, a London-based online underwear brand created by former BBC news anchor, Riz Khan, to spread the word far and wide. Journalist-turned-businessman, Khan, has also officially partnered with UK charity, Save the Rhino International, on its new range of premium, ethically-produced underwear that supports global rhino conservation efforts.  hornï pledges to donate a minimum of 10% of its pre-tax profits to leading rhino conservation initiatives.

The brand aims to raise awareness on key conservation messages through events such as LSM’s unique cricket match, the media, and special-edition collections reflecting its mission.  On how Khan came up with the brand name, he says, “I scribbled down the name, and it occurred to me that the brand name ‘hornï’ would have to have an honourable mission, and without hesitation, I was inspired that part of our profits could be donated towards global Rhino conservation. Also, hornï is an anagram of the word, rhino.”  Mara Delta’s CEO Bronwyn Corbett commissioned a team to document the event, as well as the last remaining three Northern White Rhino subspecies, and Sudan. Mara Delta CEO, Bronwyn Corbett says, “We have a committed team of people and partners who joined us to play this momentous match in this extraordinary OI Pejeta Conservancy to raise funds and awareness to help save these last three historical mammals that deserve all of our attention. We know what is possible when we work together, and our partners see the potential too. We know our future is already brighter than our past, and we know progress is well within our reach.”  ### endEditors NotesMara Delta is the largest and only pan-African focused real estate distribution group listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM).  

The Company focuses exclusively on real estate assets on the continent (excluding South Africa), underpinned by US Dollar denominated long-term leases with high quality tenants, delivering strong sustainable income.  Mara Delta manages approximately US$ 600 million worth of assets (post transfer of current acquisitions) with access to numerous acquisition opportunities. These include a strong pipeline of quality assets in Mauritius, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Morocco, and others.  The Company’s immediate strategy is to consolidate opportunities within current countries of operation before expanding into other geographies.  

Bronwyn Corbett, CEO - BCom (Acc) (Univ. of Natal, PMB), CA(SA), MauritiusBronwyn is the Chief Executive Officer of Mara Delta Property Holdings, the largest pan African focused real estate fund listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and in Mauritius. Corbett has significant corporate finance and deal making experience.She played an instrumental role in the JSE listing of Delta Property Fund Limited in 2012 where she held the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer prior to taking up the leadership role at Mara Delta. During her tenure at Delta Property Fund Limited, Corbett spearheaded the diversification of the REIT’s funding sources into the debt capital markets, leading to the establishment of a ZAR2 billion Domestic Medium Term Note Programme (DMTN programme). She led the team responsible for obtaining a national scale issuer rating from Global Credit Ratings as part of the DMTN programme.

In addition, Bronwyn co-headed the team responsible for growing assets under management from ZAR 2.2 billion at listing to ZAR 11.8 billion in May 2016. Bronwyn is a founder member and served as non-executive director on the board of Delta International Property Fund Limited (now Mara Delta Property Holdings) where she played a significant role in the listing and conversion of the fund to its current pan-African focus, underpinned by dollar based leases. Under Corbett’s leadership, Mara Delta has consistently achieved dollar based distribution forecasts at a dollar yield in excess of 7%. The Company recently declared its fifth consecutive distribution.Corbett took up the position of Chief Executive Officer in the lead-up to the Company’s merger with Pivotal to form Mara Delta. She has been instrumental in growing the portfolio from US$220 million and two assets to approximately US$ 600 million and 19 assets across five jurisdictions since listing.

Greg Pearson (38), Head of New Business, MCMI, Elec Eng, MauritiusGreg’s hands-on experience in Africa for more than a decade has allowed him to develop an expansive strategic business network with local and global developers as well as influential industry role players on the continent and beyond. With an enviable track record over a magnitude of successful developments, Greg continues to focus on collaborating with global corporations, frontier and emerging market investors, as well as various funders on new real estate related opportunities in Africa.  As a former executive of AECOM (a global provider of design, development, engineering and construction services) Greg was responsible for expanding the footprint of the ‘Rest of Africa’ business from 2006 (outside of South Africa) to 2014.

His market sector knowledge includes: office, retail, leisure, education and healthcare schemes and he has experience in over 40 African countries. Greg is registered with the Chartered Management Institute and a graduate of Kingston University, London. Greg has been instrumental in sustaining the rapid growth of the Company since its inception in 2014 when the Company listed on the alternative exchange of the JSE with a market capitalisation of US$118 million and a portfolio valued at US$86.0 million.

Today, Mara Delta is the only property focused income fund with primary listings on both the JSE Limited and the Stock Exchange of Mauritius. Subsequent to anticipated corporate activity in the first half of 2017, the Company’s is asset portfolio is expected to be valued at approximately US$ 600 million. MauritiusA: 3rd floor, La Croisette Shopping Mall, Grand Bay, Mauritius T:  +230 269 7090 fE: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. A: Ground Floor, Block A, Nairobi Business Park, Ngong Road, Nairobi, Kenya T: +254 716 328 384  MoroccoA: Anfaplace Shopping Centre, Bureau de Gestion, Boulevard de la Corniche, Aid Diab, 20000, Casablanca T: +212 522 954 646MozambiqueA: S&C Imobiliária, Av. Julius Nyerere n 3412, R/C Maputo – Mozambique T: +258 212 44700South Africa A: 10 Muswell Road South, Bryanston, Sandton, South Africa T: +27 87 80 33582 

Thank you.Written and distributed by Vivienne Quann on behalf of Bronwen Blunden PR

Enquiries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 084 486 2136 or Bronwen Blunden at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 079 060 1905 

5 JULY 2016, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – Canoe king, Hank McGregor (Jeep Team), continued his world-class reign of legendary back-to-back victories to claim his fourth Investec Mauritius Ocean Classic title on Saturday, 2 July 2016. The 26km event, which took place near Black River, Mauritius, also doubled as Round 1 of the 2016 ICF Ocean Racing World Cup, which is a new, three-part series on the world surfski calendar. Paddlers faced rough 25-knot downwind conditions at Saturday’s race, with McGregor commenting that “conditions were pretty wild out there, it was super cool! There were some wide-eyed paddlers.” It was a close race against McGregor (Jeep Team), with Australia’s Cory Hill and Michael Booth, and South Africa’s Jasper Mocké and Barry Lewin (Jeep Team), all battling it out for the title until the final two kilometres where McGregor edged ahead to claim the win in 1h08. Hill finished 2nd in 1h09, followed by Booth in 3rd (1h10), Mocké 4th (1h11m30) and Lewin 5th (1h11m57).

Said McGregor, “The final 2km saw us head into the notorious Le Morne Pass, where it’s a hard slog against strong headwinds to the end. I was able to get the lead going into this point, managing to keep it at three hundred metres all the way to the finish. I’m stoked with my fourth win here in a top-class field. The Mauritius Ocean Classic is one of my favourite surfski events as it is a very family-orientated race. This year, my wife Pippa and son Thorsten were here with me, and it was awesome to have their support!” Said Lewin, “I’m stoked with my 5th place finish in Mauritius. Love racing the top guys in the world, and the challenge of a wild ocean. Can't wait for next year.” Round 2 of the ICF Ocean Racing World Cup, the Nelo Summer Challenge, takes place in Portugal this weekend, 8 - 10 July 2016. The third and final event is happening in Tahiti in September 2016. It’s turning into another remarkable year for canoe king McGregor as he proves an unbeatable force in world surfski. At the end of May, he conquered the world’s toughest surfski ultra marathon, the 53km Maui Jim Molokai Surfski Challenge in Hawaii, for a third time. Just a few days later, he won the world’s oldest surfski event, the Illovo Pirates Umhlanga Pirates Surfski Race, in Durban. Then on 29 June, McGregor claimed victory at the FNB Durban Downwind, which is a 2016 World Surfski Series title event. In-between these surfski races, he also won the K1 title at the 2016 South African Canoe Marathon Championships in Cape Town, a result which has qualified him for the 2016 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships taking place in Germany later this year.

2016 INVESTEC MAURITIUS OCEAN CLASSIC RESULTS:

1. Hank McGregor (SA) - 1:08:46
2. Cory Hill (AUS) - 1:09:43
3. Michael Booth (AUS) - 1:10:18
4. Jasper Mocké (SA) - 1:11:30
5. Barry Lewin (SA) - 1:11:57

Other Jeep Team Results: BMX Jeep Team’s 16-year-old BMX athlete, Alex Dolman, took on riders much older than himself this weekend, as he competed in the Elite category at Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the 2016 SA BMX National Age Group Series, which took place at the Rhino and Lion Reserve in Gauteng. Dolman managed to place 8th overall. OCR On Saturday, Jeep Team’s OCR champion, Thomas van Tonder, completed the Wolf Pack Challenge, an extreme, but fun, trail running event in Gauteng where there are no winners or losers. Started by Herman Mulder, the event has been designed for trail runners looking for a hard-core, no frills, back-to-basics physical challenge. The challenge comprised of five ascents of the Magaliesburg to the beacon above the Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway. This equalled 1600m ascent over 21km.

Have a look at the following platforms to keep up to date with Jeep Team SA:

• Website: www.jeepteam.co.za
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeepteamsa
• Twitter: @jeepteamsa Instagram: JeepTeamSA

Editors’ Notes
For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.