DURBAN - One of the malls in Pietermaritzburg which was severely damaged by fire during the looting and mayhem in July last year will be partially operational by the end of August.
That is the assurance from Greater Edendale Mall centre manager Phakamani Khumalo this week.
The mall, which is next to Edendale Hospital, has been a hive of activity in recent weeks and months with the sound of machinery signalling that construction is taking place and people lining up for jobs at the construction site.
Khumalo expressed optimism that the mall would see shopping activity by the end of August, citing the level of commitment from a range of role-players as the main reason for the pace of construction.
“Given how things are going at the moment we anticipate that by the end of August 30 up to 40% of the shops will be operational. That is an equivalent to 47 shops that will be trading come that time,” said Khumalo.
He indicated that food shops and shops in the cosmetic sector would be the first to operate, with other shops gradually opening in the coming months.
“We will do everything in phases and we are quite pleased with the way things are going at the moment,” Khumalo said.
The mall, which offered a range services including clothing retailers, confectionery and medical services and provided hundreds of jobs, was one of the centres destroyed during the July mayhem in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Khumalo said they were looking forward to providing a shopping experience to the locals who have since July had to shop in the city.
THE MERCURY