Chase & Sons, one of the Vaal Traingle's well-known property agancies celebrates its 60th aniversary this month.

At the end of the war 1946 Vereeniging was still a small town, while Vanderbijlpark was in its infancy and Sasolburg never been heard of.

It was in this year that Major Cecil Chase and his two sons, Tony and John founded Chase & Sons (Pty) Limited. The Companies first premises were at the back of a barbershop and later moved to a wooden hut shared with the SPCA.

The head office building of Chase & Sons in Vereeniging was built in 1960 and has become a prominent land mark. The company now also has offices in Nile Gate Centre, Three Rivers and in Colosseum Centre Vanderbijlpark.

The directors of Chase & Sons (Pty) Limited are Mr. Viv de Villiers, Managing Director, and Mr. Tony Lane. Mrs Mariè Chase is the Managing Director of Chase Colosseum (Pty) Limited.

Together these three boast a total of over 90 years service between them. Mr Tony Chase who recently passed away, was at the helm of the company for close on 60 years.

Among the Companies early achievements, was the marketing of Risiville with which Chase & Sons were entrusted by the township developers. At that time there were only 44 houses and the township owners were battling to sell the remaining 800 vacant erven for a deposit of R20 and R10 per month. Through the companies connections with the Grahamstown Building Society (now GBS Mutual Bank), Chase & Sons was able to introduce a ten percent deposit housing scheme, which was a very rare concession in those days. Risiville then flourished.

There were also only a few houses in Three Rivers. The older - established residents in Vereeniging considered the suburb ''in the country'' too far out of town. Chase & Sons concentrated its early activities in this suburb and are largely responsible for it's succesful development.

Directors and Staff - Chase Properties

 

In 1958 Vereeniging Estates Limited (successors to Lewis and Marks, the founders of Vereeniging) appointed Chase & Sons as their Vaal Triangle agents and the company took over as local agents for various local townships. Subsequently the townships of Bedworthpark and Three Rivers East were established and added to the list. When the Vereeniging Estates were reconstituted and became Amcoal, now Anglo Operations Limited, the appointment with Chase & Sons was confirmed and the close relationship continue to this day.

The Company has been associated with development along the Vaal River since the early days when it was entrusted with the marketing of the Vaalview and Mirravaal River Estates. The department is under the personal supervision of Mariè Chase whos knowledge and expertise is widely recognised. Development along the Vaal has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and Mariè Chase foresees a rosy future for the Vaal River in the years to come.

The company has two registered Valuers, Helgard Potgieter and Viv de Villiers.

The company has built - up a substantial letting management portfolio and an active Sectional Title Management department with over 60 developments which is managed by Tony Lane.

The company is also very active in the sale and management of commercial and industrial properties, with the outlook for this to be positive for the future.

There is a vast housing potential in the Vaal Triangle and Chase & Sons has every reason to look forward with confidence to its next 60 years providing professional service to the property sector.