Pick n Pay franchise owner, Tshepho Ndlovu, attributes this to the superb taxi-retail node that is bringing valuable footfall and disposable income to the mall.

The 16,000sqm Pan Africa Shopping Centre is the first of its kind in the Alexandra area, with top retailers and brands available in an upmarket, secure centre. “The people of Alexandra deserve a mall of this standard and they’re doing their shopping here, instead of travelling long distances by taxi to other areas.”

Pan Africa Shopping Centre is fully let with over 95% of its stores open for trading and reporting good support from consumers. The taxis are operating from the super-efficient 50,000sqm taxi rank, creating a vibrant synergy with the retailers, which is testament that vision for the development has translated into a resounding success!

Ndlovu cites Pan Africa Shopping Centre’s opening day, where more than 90,000 residents flocked to the centre, as a massive success. The centre was officially opened by the President, Mr. Jacob Zuma.

Ndlovu applied more than two years ago for the Pick n Pay franchise and says the support he received, and still continues to receive from the supermarket franchise team has been incredible. In addition to this, he also believes that the combination of the owner-manager team and hand-picked service managers gives his store a significant advantage.

The store is jointly owned by Ndlovu (majority shareholder), Oliver Phaahla, Gugu Ndlovu and Neria Ndlovu. All are actively involved in the day-to-day running of the store and each brings valuable experience and skills. In order to ensure the best service levels, Ndlovu employed experienced managers for the bakery, deli, fruit & vegetables, butchery and receiving areas.   

Pick n Pay Pan Africa Shopping Centre is already actively involved in the Alexandra community. Ndlovu says, “Our recruitment policy favours residents of Alexandra and already 71% of our staff members are from the community.”

The store also supports a number of community upliftment initiatives, including Itlhokomeleng Senior Citizens Home, Tsogang (meals for orphaned children), Gcwalasbahle (community youth vegetable garden) and Born to Dance (youth dance classes). It also supported the Mandela Day celebrations with a number of working visits to several community initiatives. 

Ndlovu is upbeat about the store’s performance to date, “Our sales targets have been exceeded week after week, and the average basket sale is R55, which in retail terms is very good. Top selling items at this Pick n Pay include chicken, white bread, tinned fish, cooking oil and maize. We’re delighted with the support we have received and we will continue to offer the residents of Alexandra the best service and quality products we can provide,” adds Ndlovu.

Ndlovu believes that Pan Africa Shopping Centre is a valuable asset for the people of Alexandra and he is confident that community support for the centre will continue its upward trend. Pan Africa Shopping Centre is part of the Presidential Alexandra Renewal Project and was developed by Pan Africa DevCo, a development company established by Tebfin Developments in partnership with local entrepreneurs and the two main taxi associations in Alexandra, being ATA and ARMSTA.

It is the first fully-integrated shopping mall and taxi facility developed by public-private partnership of Gauteng Department of Housing, The Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works and Department of Finance and Economic Affairs, The City of Johannesburg and the Pan African Development Company.

Pan Africa Shopping Centre forms part of a comprehensive retail and taxi node including a super-efficient 50,000sqm taxi rank, three-level holding facility for taxis, public parking and structured informal trading. The combined retail offering in the node exceeds 40,000sqm, which is equivalent to that of a regional shopping mall.

Some 80% of tenants comprise national retailers, featuring some of South Africa’s favourite retail and food brands. A large number of retailers are represented in Alexandra for the first time in the centre.

Tebogo Mogashoa of Pan Africa Development Company says, “Pan Africa Shopping Centre represents the dreams and aspirations of the Alexandra people. We developed it for them.”