New upmarket shopping centre lined up for Empangeni

THOUSANDS of jobs are set to be created by the planned development of an upmarket shopping mall in Empangeni.

An estimated 1 000 and 1 500 employment opportunities are expected during and after construction, with the development set to break ground this quarter.

Speaking to the ZO last week, a spokesperson for the developers, Moolman Group working with partners, Twin City Developments and Melta Capital, said they are in the final planning phase, with sights set on opening doors in October next year.

The 30 000m2 to 35 000m2 Greenhills Mall, to be located along the R102 in Empangeni, will boast about 120 stores, including major food retailers and high-end clothing stores, as well as an entertainment space.

The move has been commended as a welcome boost for the City of uMhlathuze’s economic growth and its overall plans to build a mega city.

uMhlathuze Deputy Mayor Christo Botha said the municipality is excited about the proposed shopping mall.

"The Moolman Group has done quite a few shopping centre developments, and they are top-notch developers," he said.

“We requested in one of the meetings with their team that they come up with a product design and a look that competes with other high-end centres such as Ballito."

Botha said the centre must cater to people from all income groups.

He said a number of other developments of this nature, including a multi-million rand health facility are on the cards for the city.

Prominent business leader Mike Patterson also welcomed the positive growth within uMhlathuze, but encouraged new developments to be aligned to the long-term plans to connect Empangeni town with Richards Bay.

“Any new business is welcome as long as it does not take away from any other businesses, and is in line with the town planning and overall vision of creating a mega city," said Patterson.

Economist weighs in

Meanwhile, economist at the University of Zululand, Professor Irrshad Kaseeram said investment in crucial infrastructure remains key for a growing economy.

Although hopeful about the great economic benefits the new mall will bring to the Zululand region, Kaseeram expressed concern with the current state of the economy and already cash-strapped consumers.

“We can only hope that the market research conducted by the developer is correct because from a macro-economic perspective and the way the economy is struggling, I have some doubts.

“But if it comes to fruition, in the long-term it will add value in service sector employment which includes unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers.

“In the short-term, during construction phase, there could be benefit for those in the construction space and in engineering.

“We can only hope that they will source most of the skilled, unskilled and semi-skills from the local region,” said Kaseeram.