Mdantsane's oldest shopping mall is set to receive a new lease on life thanks to a massive cash injection from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).
The Mdantsane Mall, also known as Highway Mall, has over the years attracted bad publicity due to vandalism, leaking roofs, evictions over unpaid rents, illegal electricity connections, stinking sewerage pipes and disgruntled tenants.
Residents complained of being mugged inside the mall, alleging it had become a home for thieves.
This state of affairs was in stark contrast to what the building used to symbolise for the Mdantsane community before it was burnt down in 1990 during the Mdantsane riots.
Prior to that the mall was seen as a beacon of hope that offered a one-stop shopping facility for locals.
The ECDC took over the site and rebuilt the mall.
In a new bid to change the face of Mdantsane, the ECDC is now looking to invest an estimated R30-million for service providers to submit proposals for “professional services for the refurbishment, facilities and property management of Mdantsane Mall”.
Last week hopeful entrepreneurs attended a tender briefing for the project that will change the mall’s “riches to rags” status.
A feasibility study will be conducted, followed by planning of the refurbishment.
The corporation is also looking for a facilities management and maintenance company to look after the mall and improve its value.
The dirty grounds and stinking and blocked toilets will be a thing of the past as the search is on for effective cleaning and security services.
Security will also be boosted to “ensure the safety of the tenants and the public”.
The corporation is also looking for new tenants.
The request for proposal document states that the scope of work required also includes:
lProperty Management including tenant sourcing and ensuring the mall is occupied at all times; and
lTenant management and rent collection on behalf of ECDC.
However evicted and current tenants said they were not happy about the new developments.
Evicted tenant Bongani Dotwana said he owed the corporation R115000 and was evicted last year.
“We have been fighting for that mall to be renovated for years now and we heard about the renovations.
“Yes we are very happy about the moves to change its state but our request to have electricity meter boxes for each shop have not been heard.
“Tenant are billed based on the sizes of the shops and not on the amount of water and electricity they use. That is not fair on other people as they don’t use as much of those things as compared with other tenants,” Dotwana said.
Although no one has been appointed yet, work is expected to commence before the end of this year once a service level agreement is signed.
The project comes as Buffalo City Metro is also planning to change the face of the Mdantsane CBD, starting with the draft of a concept plan.
Major upgrade for M’sane mall
The Mdantsane Mall, also known as Highway Mall, has over the years attracted bad publicity due to vandalism, leaking roofs, evictions over unpaid rents, illegal electricity connections, stinking sewerage pipes and disgruntled tenants.
Residents complained of being mugged inside the mall, alleging it had become a home for thieves.
This state of affairs was in stark contrast to what the building used to symbolise for the Mdantsane community before it was burnt down in 1990 during the Mdantsane riots.
Prior to that the mall was seen as a beacon of hope that offered a one-stop shopping facility for locals.
The ECDC took over the site and rebuilt the mall.
In a new bid to change the face of Mdantsane, the ECDC is now looking to invest an estimated R30-million for service providers to submit proposals for “professional services for the refurbishment, facilities and property management of Mdantsane Mall”.
Last week hopeful entrepreneurs attended a tender briefing for the project that will change the mall’s “riches to rags” status.
A feasibility study will be conducted, followed by planning of the refurbishment.
The corporation is also looking for a facilities management and maintenance company to look after the mall and improve its value.
The dirty grounds and stinking and blocked toilets will be a thing of the past as the search is on for effective cleaning and security services.
Security will also be boosted to “ensure the safety of the tenants and the public”.
The corporation is also looking for new tenants.
The request for proposal document states that the scope of work required also includes:
lProperty Management including tenant sourcing and ensuring the mall is occupied at all times; and
lTenant management and rent collection on behalf of ECDC.
However evicted and current tenants said they were not happy about the new developments.
Evicted tenant Bongani Dotwana said he owed the corporation R115000 and was evicted last year.
“We have been fighting for that mall to be renovated for years now and we heard about the renovations.
“Yes we are very happy about the moves to change its state but our request to have electricity meter boxes for each shop have not been heard.
“Tenant are billed based on the sizes of the shops and not on the amount of water and electricity they use. That is not fair on other people as they don’t use as much of those things as compared with other tenants,” Dotwana said.
Although no one has been appointed yet, work is expected to commence before the end of this year once a service level agreement is signed.
The project comes as Buffalo City Metro is also planning to change the face of the Mdantsane CBD, starting with the draft of a concept plan.
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