Amdene Viljoen Leads ZDFin Expansion Into Cape Town

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – “Moving into 2023, we continue to look for business growth opportunities and to expand our national footprint. The opening of a Cape Town office headed up by Amdene Viljoen, will go a long way to meeting the growing demand in the Western Cape, for smart financial solutions, to solve a plethora of challenges facing the South African home-owner,” says Michael Schaefer, CEO of ZDFin.

With an LLB from the North West University campus in Potchefstroom and membershop of the Golden Key International Honour Society under her belt, Amdene practiced at Warrender Attorneys from January 2014 to February 2017, where she gained extensive experience in sectional title and debt collection. This experience served her well when she joined Trafalgar in March 2017 where she managed the Levy Finance and Collections division for Trafalgar Financial Services. In 2019 she became Head of Trafalgar Property Management’s Sectional Title Levy Collections nationally.

“Amdene will service ZDFin’s Executive Managing Agent (EMA) clients in the city and surrounds, as well as manage the financed and unfinanced levy collection,” adds Schaefer. “Her thorough knowledge, hands on experience and capacity to extend her skills to general issues affecting community schemes and their compliance, makes her a valuable addition to the team at ZDFin.”

“The interest rate hike, ongoing rolling black-outs and skyrocketing energy costs have all impacted on the uncomfortable situation many community schemes find themselves in. Owners are battling to keep up with the payment of levies, general and special maintenance plans and the cost of electricity and water. This is where ZDFin is really making the most impact, as we specialise in tailor-making solutions, with one or a combination of financial products, to suit each schemes’ specific needs and requirements.”

A key attraction for enlisting the services of an EMA, is that they take over the role and responsibilities of the Trustees and ‘step into their shoes’, not only for the day to day decisions that the Trustees would normally make, but also the know-how and knowledge of all applicable compliance and legislative requirements. There will no longer be a need for any Trustees if an EMA is appointed.

“After three good years, we now have a track-record of success and have been able to show owners that when ZDFin takes on a scheme, we totally deliver on our promises, because we are invested in each and every scheme and driven by positive outcomes. We work with the scheme’s appointed Managing Agents, to secure the best results for the trustees and owners.”

Schaefer notes that in 2022 alone, ZDFin has been able to assist 100% of their EMA clients to transform their under-performing residential community schemes into viable entities once again and over 60% of schemes have self-funded the EMA costs within the first three months of ZDFin being appointed.

“Our rates, costing and tailored offerings are more competitive than the other players in the market,” emphasises Schaefer. “We offer more choice and have the practical experience to back it up. There really is no substitute for experience, especially in the property industry, especially the scheme market.”