JSE-listed real estate investment company Fortress has increased its portfolio of direct real estate assets to R30-billion and achieved the lowest vacancy rate of 3.7% since its listing in October 2009. “At the core of this result is the continued capital recycling through the disposal of older, under-performing properties to fund new developments which are in demand and have lower structural vacancies. Our continued strategic focus on developing and letting premium-grade logistics real estate in South Africa and Central and Eastern Europe, as well as growing our convenience and commuter-oriented retail portfolio, has proven to be successful,” Fortress CEO Steven Brown said on September 1 in a report on the company’s performance for the financial year ended June 30.