Developed on a scale beyond anything the country has known the iconic new Mall of Africa is set to open in less than a month, on 28 April 2016
Southern Africa’s largest single-phase shopping centre development to date, the R5-billion Mall of Africa, is a 130 000 sqm super-regional mall that sets a new benchmark for shopping centres on the continent. Mall of Africa is co-owned by two leading South African property companies. JSE-listed real estate capital growth fund Attacq Limited holds the commercial development rights to Waterfall and owns 80% of the Mall of Africa. Atterbury Property Developments owns 20% of Mall of Africa and is responsible for the Mall of Africa development project, on behalf of Attacq. The mall will feature over 300 retailers, restaurants, entertainment and services, all within a single exceptional development. Atterbury began the construction of Mall of Africa nearly three-and-a-half years ago, on 28 October 2012.
Impressive numbers
James Ehlers, MD of Atterbury Property Developments notes the mall’s construction area covers a massive 550 000 sqms – or 78 rugby fields. A stroll around the building’s perimeter will take you on a walk of 1.75 kilometres. A major benefit of Mall of Africa is its central location in Gauteng and easy access from all areas. Mall of Africa is superbly situated in Waterfall City, halfway between Johannesburg and Pretoria. It is highly accessible, located adjacent to the Allandale Road exit of the N1 Highway, the first free-flow intersection of its size in Africa.
Plus, Atterbury has undertaken major roads upgrades around the development to make it easy for shoppers to arrive at Mall of Africa’s 26 entrances.
The mall has around 6 500 parking bays, most of which are under cover. It also offers valet parking, special drop-off facilities for buses and dedicated Uber pickup and drop-off points – a first in the South African retail environment. It is also minutes away from the Gautrain Midrand Station. While Mall of Africa is set to dazzle both locals and visitors from far and wide, there is much more to this ground-breaking development than first meets the eye.
Going green
Cobus van Heerden of Atterbury Property Developments comments: “Our commitment to responsible development, energy efficiency, sustainability and the implementation of green strategies is evident in Mall of Africa’s inspired design, construction and operational practices. As a developer, it is crucial to ensure the assets we create are environmentally responsible and as energy efficient as possible.” The project implemented multiple green technologies, including a massive photovoltaic installation on the roof of Mall of Africa. The installation will be the largest in South Africa and Africa and will provide 4.8MVA of sustainable power for the centre. The mall will use grey water harvesting in all public toilets and for the irrigation of the entire development. Its design means natural light is maximised in the mall in such a way that shopper comfort is also optimised.
