Developers Maponya Group and Zenprop Property Holdings report that offers for eighty five percent of the retail space in Soweto’s first regional shopping centre of international standard, Maponya Mall, have already been received – thirteen months before the opening of the centre, scheduled for the 27th September 2007.

Leasing agents, Marriott Property Services says that the demand from retailers for the 235 available shops has been nothing short of overwhelming, and that the interest stems from a diverse mix of national and international tenants who will cater to the needs of Soweto’s residents.

Prior to the line-tenant leasing launch in April 2006, anchor tenants Woolworths, the Edcon Group and Pick ‘n Pay had already been secured, with the latter taking 12,000m² of space, making its Maponya store one of the largest in the country, and one of the first to launch the latest edition Hypermarket concept.

This twenty-first century 65 000sqm mall, with its fantastic exposure on Old Potch Road, the primary traffic route in Soweto, also caught the eye of national retailers: @Home, Truworths, Identity, Markham, Foschini, Miladys, Donna Claire, Exact, Mr Price, Sheet Street, Ackermans, Jet, Legit, and Pep, who where quick off the mark to sign-up.
 
Maponya Mall – the ‘Sandton City’ of Soweto and the only black developed and owned mall in the area,  will boast world class design aesthetics and exciting features not previously seen in regional shopping centres’ in South Africa.  It also promises to be a draw card for Sowetans’ across all economic bands, and is set to assist the township in retaining a substantial portion of the estimated R4.3 billion Soweto consumer market that is currently flowing into the surrounding areas and Johannesburg’s CBD.
 
High fashion retailers: Fabiani, Timberland, Guess, Nine West, Aldos, Zoom, Uzzi, Skipper Bar, Spitz, Europa Art, San Marino and Preview Shoes are poised to cater to the status conscious, significant buying power of the ‘black diamond’ sector of the market from their Maponya Mall outlets.

Sterns, American Swiss, and Galaxy, will also take their place amongst the savvy retailers eager to claim a portion of this lucrative market, as will Sportsmans Warehouse, Totalsports, Cross Trainer, Sportscene, Nike, Adidas and Puma.

Geen & Richards, Furniture City, and Cash Crusaders will offer affordable living options for those in the market for furniture and appliances.

All major banks have expressed a firm interest, with FNB, Standard Bank and Nedbank having concluded an agreement for a large amount of space.

Soweto’s first Ster Kinekor will open in the mall, with a nine-screen cinema entertainment complex. Spur, Panarottis, Steers and Debonairs,  McDonalds, Mugg & Bean, Wimpy, News Café, Primi Piatti, Nandos, KFC, and Sweets from Heaven, being just some of the food chains who have signed-up for space inside this multi-volume space, making it Soweto’s premier entertainment node.

Local professionals such as optometrists and medical practitioners have submitted offers, as have local fashion and food retailers.

This will put them alongside the likes of well-known health and lifestyle brands such as Clicks, Pharmasave, Frasiers, Look and Listen, Jet Music, Musica, Exclusive Books, CNA, Toys R Us, Incredible Connection, Kodak, Nashua, Vodashop, MTN and Cell C.

Maponya and Zenprop confirm that the construction is on schedule for opening on the target date next September, with the structural frame almost complete and roofing in progress.