Maponya Mall, which aims to gain a large slice of the R4,3 billion that Soweto residents currently spend outside of their area, will open on September 27.

Bringing a large upmarket shopping centre to Soweto will be the culmination of a 28-year dream of local businessman Richard Maponya.

With 65,000m² of space, Maponya Mall is bigger than the 43,500m² Jabulani Mall, which opened last year with Shoprite, Game, Edgars and Woolworths as anchor tenants.

Maponya Mall's tenants will include Toys-R-Us, an eight-theatre Ster Kinekor centre, a new-concept McDonalds outlet, as well as a 12,000m² flagship Pick 'n Pay ? one of the largest in the country. Well-known international shoe retail chain Geox has announced that it will be opening its first store in South Africa at the Maponya Mall.

Maponya believes that the centre will have many economic benefits for Soweto. Besides being convenient for local residents, who previously travelled to surrounding areas and the Johannesburg central business district to do their shopping, banking and movie watching, it will provide much-needed jobs, particularly for the youth.

Maponya has employed a very high percentage of women for the construction of the mall.

From the safety officer to Chichi Maponya to many of the construction crew ? the mall has provided excellent job opportunities for many women from Soweto.

Sowetan

Publisher: I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge