Construction industry benefits from Baywest Mall

The Eastern Cape's construction industry had out-performed all other provinces in the first nine months of this year, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) published by StatsSA. Eastern Cape Economic Development MEC Mcebisi Jonas, recently commented on the development of the R1.7bn Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth and said this project has boosted the Eastern Cape construction industry.

Baywest City MD Gavin Blows said the mall would boast 260 tenants, of which 85% are major national retailers. Most of the mall's tenants for its retail outlets already secured, including Game, Ster Kinekor, Truworths, Edcon Group, Woolworths, Pick n Pay and Checkers.

About 1,500 local jobs will be created during the mall's construction phase, out of a total of 3,000 direct jobs. A further 7,000 indirect and induced jobs will be created. Upon completion of the 87,500m² shopping centre in early 2015, a further 1,500 permanent jobs will be created to staff about 260 retail outlets.

SMMEs invited

The developers of Baywest, Abacus Asset Management and Billion Group, are targeting small-, medium- and micro-sized businesses (SMMEs) for involvement during the construction phase of the centre. With more than 400 SMMEs registered on the mall's database for possible work on the mammoth project, developers recently held a workshop for SMMEs struggling to get the required paperwork required by law for registration.

The Baywest Mall primary contractor Murray & Roberts, through the mall's community liaison officer Azola Tybosch, is looking to SMMEs throughout the city - particularly from the northern areas suburbs and townships - to register on their database for possible work during the R1.3bn construction phase.