Month-end saw the grand opening of Phola Mall, the first fully enclosed regional shopping mall in the old ‘Kwa Ndebele’ region of Mpumalanga.
Located in Phola Park, within the bustling area of KwaMhlanga and with direct access off the infamous Moloto Road (the busiest bus route in the country), the 29 000sqm mall is ideally located to service the massive rural population that surrounds it.
Anchored by Superspar, Edgars, Shoprite and a Builders Superstore and boasting a strong line up of fashion tenants, banks and food stores, Phola Mall promises to become the new centre of the greater community.
As is becoming a signature of McCormick Property Development’s projects, the mall offers more than just shopping facilities. Two action soccer courts, numerous rest areas, kiddies play area and wall murals by internationally recognised Ndebele artist, Esther Mahlangu, all contribute to the ‘gathering place’ that the mall has become.
Esther Mahlangu was born, and still lives, a stone’s throw away from the mall. She is an inspiration and a mentor to many young artists and still teaches willing scholars about the science and significance of the craft of Ndebele painting and design. She was commissioned to paint two murals within the mall – at entrance 2 and 3. Both were painted with the traditional tools of chicken feathers and pigment paint. The icon herself was present at the opening to unveil and sign her artwork and to celebrate with the community.
“We want our communities to connect with their Malls”, explains MD of MPD, Jason McCormick. “By instilling a sense of pride and attachment to the mall, we’re able to give back in more ways than one.”
Phola Mall is McCormick’s 62 nd development and is the embodiment of the company’s evolution from the development of open ‘strip plazas’ to modern shopping malls that constantly push the boundaries of what a shopping mall can be to its community.
Following the hugely successful launch of Phola Mall, McCormick will focus on the completion of the re-development of its iconic Kwagga Plaza some 27km’s further north of Phola. The re-development will see the current Plaza transformed into an enclosed mall of over 34 000sqm, with the first phase scheduled to launch in December 2017 and final completion set for 2018.
“With new developments of over R750 million planned for this rural region, McCormick Property certainly is living its mantra of ‘Pioneering African Development.”
