R100m casino centre boost for Mthatha
JOBS by the dozen, a small-business bonanza, movies galore and a casino are in the offing for people in the Mthatha area.
Yesterday, Sisa Ngebulana announced that his Billion Group was building a R100-million casino entertainment centre in his old hometown.
Earthworks are already under way and construction of the top structure of The Mthatha Casino entertainment centre is set to begin early next year, Ngebulana’s corporation said.
The 2 600m² centre is set to open its doors to the public towards the end of next year.
In a statement, the Billion Group announced that the casino, when up and running, would create 160 permanent jobs.
As many local businesses as possible could expect the developers to use their services, the group said.
The construction next year would create 50 direct jobs and up to 150 indirect jobs, which would bolster the economy of the area, it said.
The centre will feature cinemas, bars and restaurants, a licensed casino, and conferencing and childcare facilities.
The group said the project, which had been in the pre-development phase for two years, would form the latest addition to its existing “live-work-play” precinct, which houses the 60 000m² BT Ngebs City Mall and the four-star Mayfair Hotel.
Billion Group founder Ngebulana, who grew up in Corhana just outside Mthatha, said the group planned to invest R16-billion in the Eastern Cape region over the next 10 years.
The new development is strategically located on Errol Spring Avenue, close to where the planned N2 Wild Coast toll road will be built.
Billion Group development director Dewald van Staden said: “It is our intention to employ as many locals as possible, and to manage the process of employing workers across skilled, semiskilled and unskilled.”
He said a locally-based main contractor had already been appointed. —