ALEXANDRA township will soon be home to SA’s first fully integrated shopping mall and taxi facility when the Pan Africa Shopping Centre opens.

The shopping centre will be located at the heart of the area’s transport and retail node.

Pan Africa Shopping Centre forms part of a comprehensive retail and taxi node including a 50000m² taxi rank, a three- level holding facility for taxis, public parking and structured informal trading.

The combined retail offering exceeds 40000m², equivalent to that of a regional shopping mall. The mall will be anchored by a 2800m² Pick n Pay store, with about 80% of tenants being national retailers

Pan Africa is part of the Presidential Alexandra Renewal Project and is being developed by Pan Africa DevCo, a development company formed by Tebfin Developments in partnership with local entrepreneurs and the two main taxi associations in Alexandra.

“Pan Africa Shopping Centre will improve the quality of life of the people of Alexandra and create jobs, opportunities and sustainable businesses, which will further be boosted by attracting visitors to this exciting shopping landmark,” said Darlene Louw, deputy director of the Alexandra Renewal Project.

The project is a huge, ambitious initiative aimed at improving living conditions in Alex. The project includes programmes related to environmental development, human skills, housing and infrastructure. The development will be the first fully integrated shopping mall and taxi facility developed by public-private partnership involving the Gauteng departments of housing, roads and works, public transport, and finance and economic affairs, together with the City of Johannesburg and the Pan African Development Company.

Alexandra township lies less than 5km to the east of Sandton, SA’s financial hub.

The shopping centre will be located at the gateway to Alexandra, on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Watt Street. It is in one of Alexandra’s busiest areas, with about 10000 people and 1500 operating taxis using the area every day.

“The integration of the shopping centre into a very busy transport hub was without doubt the most challenging aspect of the project, but also the most satisfactory as it has meant that we have been able to create an incredibly convenient shopping experience for consumers,” said Tebogo Mogashoa, head of Pan Africa Development Company.

Pan Africa was first developed as Alexandra Junction Shopping Centre, at a cost of R120m, for completion in March last year. Louw said the name change was a result of township residents wanting to preserve the Pan African origins of the area.

She could not comment on how much the development would now cost the consortium given that the project’s completion has been delayed.

Louw said that about 85% of the project has been completed and the centre was set to open next March.

Source: Business Day