Delays in opening new outlets in Zambia and Tanzania will not hold back Botswana’s grocer Choppies from achieving its 2016 growth target of operating 200 stores.

Attacq’s much-talked-about Mall of Africa, the largest single-phase shopping centre yet to be built in SA, is more than 90% let and on track to open its doors at Waterfall City in Midrand.

The traditional shopping centre model is turning on its head, according to indicators emerging from research covering two million square metres of retail space across South Africa.

Mall of the North in Polokwane, Limpopo, has announced exciting new additions to its powerful retail line-up, all set to open before the festive season.

It is widely accepted in the residential property world that property values will always be favourably affected by the advent in their area of a top-of-the-range retail centre – and this ‘basic rule’ applies just as much to the upgrading of retail property when this is thoroughly and comprehensively undertaken.

The R1.4 billion new 65,000m2 Ballito Junction Regional Mall is already more than 80% full, with more than a year-and-a-half before it is due to open in March 2017.

Retail magnate Christo Wiese continues to back Texton Property Fund by underwriting a significant portion of a rights issue.

Retail-oriented property fund Fairvest Property Holdings enters into an agreement with Born Free Investments 385 to acquire rental enterprises for R133m.

Rapid urbanisation, population growth and an undersupply of formal retail space continue to drive growth in the retail sector across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Vukile Property Fund has more than doubled the value of its directly held South African real estate assets over the past three years from R6.1 billion to R15.2 billion currently, with retail properties accounting for over R10.5 billion or 70% of its portfolio.