Alex Mall almost ready for business

15 December 2016

 

 

The construction of the multimillion rand Alex Mall in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, is about 70% complete and is expected to open its doors to shoppers by 31 March 2017.

 

The R450-million development, facilitated by the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) - the property arm of the City of Johannesburg - is part of the Alexandra Urban Renewal Project aimed at improving the quality of life of local residents.

 

Located near the N3 Highway-London Road/Vincent Tshabalala Road interchange on the border of Alexandra and Sandton, the expansive mall is an initiative of the Greater Alexandra Chamber of Commerce and developers McCormick Property Development and Valumax.

 

It is expected to create more than 2 000 job opportunities.

 

Speaking during a media tour organised by JPC on Tuesday December 13, Greater Alexandra Chamber of Commerce President Mpho Motsumi said the design of the mall’s entrances would depict the township’s history - from its inception in 1912 to 2012, when it celebrated its centenary. He said his organisation wanted to bring change to one of the poorest townships in Johannesburg.

 

“We want to bring retail tourism, arts and culture to the heart of Alexandra, create job opportunities and help reduce crime.” 

 

The 89 000sqm mall premises will consist of more than 100 shops, two floodlit mini-soccer six-aside fields bordering a 250-seater restaurant, a children’s playing area and taxi rank.

 

Alex Mall is geared towards environmental sustainability and boasts extensive rooftop solar plants that will provide up to 30% of the mall’s power and a comprehensive rainwater and grey water harvesting system to supplement conventional water sources. The two mini soccer fields and children’s play area were strategically worked into the mall’s structure to help with social development in the area.

 

“With the increasing rate of unemployment among the youth and the rise in social ills such as nyaope addiction and crime, we are actively seeking to create social platforms to get kids off the streets and into healthy environment.

 

“I truly believe that getting the youth off the streets and into formalised sporting structures will go a long way to not only repairing some of the social ills  poisoning our communities but  helping to unearth the next generation of sporting heroes who would otherwise go unnoticed due to a lack of adequate sporting facilities in these areas,’’ Motsumi said