Commercial Property News South Africa

First shopping centre for Mahwelereng

Mahwelereng, a township in Limpopo Province, outside Mokopane (formerly known as Potgietersrus) will get its first shopping centre in November 2012. Developed by Gerald and Pieter Dros of Olympic Park, the 11 262m² centre will save residents their current commute into Mokopane CBD.

"This is a densely-populated area that already records high demand for fashion, furniture and banking, so a local retail centre is long overdue," says Gavin Tagg of Retail Network Services, which is crafting a focused tenant mix to suit the shopping centre's unique footprint.

Easily accessible from the N11 freeway, the site is located on Dudu Madisha drive, adjacent to the existing Engen filling station and about seven kilometres from the Mokopane CBD.

Research confirms that there are close to 50 000 households in the trade area, with a population of more than 280 000 people and the shopping centre is expected to capture some 11% of the trade area.

With 33 stores, the centre will provide a range of shopping choices for local consumers as well as passing traffic. Anchors include a 3565m² Shoprite supermarket, 750m² Roots and 1352m² Cash Build.

"Mindful of the high demand for home furnishings, other confirmed tenants include OK Furniture, Ellerines and the JD Group," adds Tagg. "Popular food destinations like Fish & Chips and Debonairs will round out the offering to shoppers. Safe and convenient access for public transport users is a focus for the development," and adds that 100 parking bays are also part of the plan, to cater to shoppers in private vehicles.

The area is likely to see significant growth in platinum mining, a factor expected to boost both foot traffic and consumer spending in the future.

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