Prominent Soweto businessman Richard Maponya announced in a statement on Wednesday that he would — in a partnership with Zenprop Property Holdings — be developing Soweto’s first mega shopping mall at a cost of approximately R450-million.
The 60 000 square metre shopping mall is to be built along one of the townships busiest roads, Old Potchefstroom Road and will serve the township’s
4,5-million residents.
”This mall will be the heart-beat of Soweto; there isn’t a mall of such a meaningful size in Soweto,” Maponya said.
Construction of the mall is set to begin in July this year, with completion scheduled for October 2006.
Tenants who have shown interest in setting up operations at the mall include Woolworths, Edgars, Pick ‘n Pay, Ackermans, Jet, Sportscene and cinema company Ster Kinekor.
Maponya expects the mall to contribute to the social upliftment, job creation and investment in the community.
”This mall is going to be a mall just like any modern mall you see in the city, there will be no compromise in design and quality, and we will have all the best retailers. For the first time, people in Soweto will be able to wake up and walk to a shopping mall,” Maponya says. – I-Net Bridge