MALL OF THEMBISA NAMED BEST RETAIL DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

The Mall of Thembisa has been named the best retail development in Africa and awarded a five star nomination by the judging panel of the International Property Awards.

The 68th development by rural retail development experts McCormick Property Development (MPD), it is a double level mall that boasts the largest Shisanyama in South Africa (Imbizo of Busy Corner fame).

With 144 stores, including the first of its kind, Kasi CoLAB, the Mall was designed with the heart of the community in mind.

One of these community centred initiatives is the Reahola market-gardens project. Established to ensure local upliftment and job creation, six local farmers were provided with over 1Ha of raised beds, organic compost, equipment, seedlings and training to launch the project on the north east corner of the parking lot. To date, the farmers are supplying the Mall’s anchor restaurant with fresh veggies and host market days to sell direct to consumers.

Similarly, the Kasi CoLAB was developed as a retail incubator to provide local township retail entrepreneurs access to market and capital. The CoLAB allows local start-ups the opportunity to trade from a prime retail location, rent free, for 12 months, with business incubation and support.

Developed during the height of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent national lockdowns, the Mall opened in late November and provides 44 781sqm of world class retail to shoppers in Olifantsfontein, Gauteng.

The International Property Awards recognise and reward excellence in the property and real estate sectors on a global scale. The Mall of Thembisa was the only development in Africa to receive a five star nomination.

“This mall was designed with the common vision of retail excellence by the MPD team. We all believed in its unique potential and to see this vision recognised internationally is something we are very proud of,” explains MD of MPD, Jason McCormick.

“The Mall of Thembisa has become an icon of hope – it was developed in the peak of a global pandemic and faced unprecedented threats during the recent riots but it continues to stand tall and shine the light on our mission to provide essential, convenient retail of world class standards to those that need it most.”