Now forming part of the newly launched African Rain Collection hospitality group, Century City Conference Centre was recognised with four international awards at the 2026 Eventex Awards, selected from more than 1,400 entries across 59 countries.

The awards included:

• Top Score in the Large Venue category
• Sustainable Venue Award
• Team Award
• Silver recognition for Nadia Lombard, Commercial Manager for Events, in the Events Manager category

The Eventex Awards are regarded among the world’s leading awards platforms for the events and experience industry. To see a South African venue and team recognised at this level is both encouraging and deeply meaningful for us.

A Decade of Consistent Execution

Over the past decade, Century City Conference Centre has grown into one of South Africa’s leading conference venues through a consistent focus on execution, adaptability, and long-term thinking. The business has never aimed to compete on infrastructure alone, but rather on the quality and consistency of the experience delivered to organisers, delegates, and guests.

That philosophy now forms part of the foundation of African Rain Collection, which brings together the Century City portfolio in Cape Town and the forthcoming Waterfall City Conference Centre and Hotel in Gauteng.

What This Recognition Means

“These awards matter because they recognise consistency. In hospitality and events, excellence is rarely one defining moment. It is the accumulation of thousands of decisions, interactions, and standards maintained over time. For our team to be recognised internationally across multiple categories is an important affirmation of the culture and operating discipline we continue to build.” – Gary Koetser, CEO, African Rain Collection

“What makes this recognition particularly meaningful is that it acknowledges the attention to detail required to deliver consistently at scale. Behind every successful event is a large group of people working in sync under pressure, often without being seen. This recognition belongs to them.” – Bernard Abrahams, Operations Manager, Century City Conference Centre

Congratulations to Nadia Lombard

A special congratulations goes to Nadia Lombard, whose Silver recognition in the Events Manager category reflects years of dedication to clients, leadership within the commercial events team, and a commitment to consistently raising standards.

Watch Nadia Lombard’s Eventex submission video here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjqrQxkyHL4]

Looking Ahead

Thank you to our clients, partners, suppliers, and teams who continue to place their trust in us.

As African Rain Collection expands into a second city, these awards represent more than recognition of past work. They reinforce the responsibility to continue building hospitality businesses that are operationally strong, commercially disciplined, people-led, and capable of competing confidently on a global stage.

The post Driven by Consistency, Recognised Globally: A Defining Milestone for Our Team appeared first on African Rain Collection.

African Rain Collection is the new hospitality group behind Century City Conference Centre, Century City Hotels in Cape Town and the upcoming Waterfall City Conference Centre and Hotel in Johannesburg. It has been three years in the making and a deliberate, structured build of the leadership, commercial capability and operating discipline required to run a multi-asset, multi-region hospitality portfolio.

It is not a rebrand. It is the operating company that the business has been building towards.

African Rain Collection functions as a centralised operating model across its assets, aligning commercial strategy, operational systems and execution to deliver consistent performance across locations. The foundation for this approach was built in Cape Town. Over ten years, the team has operated one of the country’s largest privately-owned venues alongside a multi-property hotel and accommodation offering. That experience, across business events, leisure stays, restaurants and extended-stay accommodation, has been shaped under real trading conditions and refined over time. What has emerged is not just a successful operation, but a system.

Leadership Built for Scale

Leadership has been built deliberately to support that system at scale. The group is led by CEO Gary Koetser, whose focus is on long-term strategy, organisational culture and disciplined growth. He is supported by Chief Financial Officer Roger Watts, who has established the financial structure and controls required to support a multi-asset, multi-region business.

“Growth for us has never been about scale alone. It is about building a business that can deliver consistently, across different cities and environments, without losing what made it successful in the first place.” – Gary Koetser, CEO, African Rain Collection

A Centralised Commercial Engine

The most distinctive element of the business is its centralised commercial engine. Led by Chief Commercial Officer Kim Weber and Zandri Swartz, Head of Sales, the team spans more than 20 specialists responsible for driving revenue, distribution, and market positioning across all assets, ensuring each asset benefits from shared insight and coordinated execution.

It is what makes the next phase of expansion possible.

Waterfall City: Three Years in the Making

Waterfall City Conference Centre and Hotel has been in planning for the past three years. The African Rain Collection team has been actively involved as part of the development team, working alongside design and professional partners to shape the asset from the outset. Under the direction of Koetser, the focus has been on ensuring the asset is built not only for scale, but for delivery.

The leadership, financial discipline, commercial capability and operating systems are already in place. Future assets will plug into a structure that has been tested and refined over time.

For clients and partners, the message is clear. African Rain Collection is not simply growing its footprint. It is scaling a system.

The post African Rain Collection: Building a Hospitality Portfolio with Intent appeared first on African Rain Collection.

“Century City has shown what is possible when conferencing and hospitality form part of a carefully planned mixed-use precinct. It becomes an economic engine for the node, not just a venue. Partnering with Attacq in Waterfall City allows us to take that proven model and apply it in a precinct that’s already built for scale, security, and long-horizon growth.” – Leon Cohen, Group Chairman, Rabie Property Group

Over the past decade, Century City Conference Centre and Hotels have built a reputation for consistent excellence in the business events and hospitality landscape. This expansion has led to the introduction of African Rain Collection, a new hospitality portfolio created to carry forward the legacy established in Cape Town while supporting the group’s operations in Gauteng. Waterfall City Conference Centre and Hotel is the first major development under this umbrella.

“The launch of African Rain Collection marks a natural evolution of what we have been building over the past decade. It reflects a deliberate shift from operating a single destination to stewarding a broader hospitality portfolio grounded in long-term thinking and disciplined execution.” – Gary Koetser, Chief Executive Officer, African Rain Collection

“This R750 million development is an example of how we continue to unlock long-term value within the Waterfall City precinct through strategic capital allocation and solid partnerships.” – Jackie van Niekerk, CEO, Attacq

The Venue

The Waterfall City Conference Centre and Hotel will have capacity to accommodate up to 1,350 delegates in a single venue and 2,000 across 16 flexible spaces, complemented by open-air venues for outdoor events. The adjoining hotel will feature:

• 180 rooms and apartments
• All-day dining restaurant
• Gym and spa
• Swimming pool
• Private dining spaces

The development is set to be fully operational by January 2028. Bookings are now open for conferences and events from January 2028 onwards.

Book Your Event

Visit www.wcconferencecentre.co.za or contact the team at events@wcconferencecentre.co.za

About Attacq Limited

Attacq Limited is a South African Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) listed on the JSE and A2X Markets. With a market cap of approximately R11 billion, Attacq’s portfolio includes Mall of Africa, Garden Route Mall, Mooi Rivier Mall, Eikestad Mall, and Lynnwood Bridge Precinct. Visit www.attacq.co.za

About Rabie Property Group

Established in 1978, Rabie Property Group is one of South Africa’s leading property developers, responsible for developments including Century City, Burgundy Estate, Clara Anna Fontein, and many others. Visit www.rabie.co.za

About Waterfall City Conference Centre and Hotel

Located in Waterfall City, Gauteng, the venue is designed to accommodate up to 2,000 delegates across 16 versatile venues, with 180 hotel bedrooms, an all-day dining restaurant, gym, spa, swimming pool, and private dining options. Visit www.wcconferencecentre.co.za

Download this Press Release

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