Mall on cards for Orange Farm

Once Town Square Mall is open, more money will be retained in Orange Farm as people will no longer need to shop in neighbouring regions.
CONSTRUCTION will soon begin on a mall in Orange Farm, which will have big retail outlets, fast food franchises and cinemas.

David LiebermanMall will be economic benefit to Orange Farm residents, says David LiebermanWork on the Town Square Mall in the Stretford Station Precinct is scheduled to begin at the end of August. The mall will be in a prime position for shopping traffic as it will be next to the station and the taxi rank.

About 38 000m2 in size, anchor tenants will include retailers like Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Build It and Metro Cash and Carry; there will also be health, beauty and fashion stores; fast food outlets and entertainment; as well as homeware stores.

The positioning of the mall, named for its central location in Stretford, takes into consideration the many pedestrian routes, such as the Ridge Walk, that lead to the site from the surrounding residential areas of Orange Farm to the station and the taxi rank.

It is also near the local clinic, conservation area, schools, residential areas, the police station, fire station, skills centre, post office, and small scale non-residential buildings.

Construction will be done in four phases, beginning with phase three. This phase will be built to hold the Metro Cash and Carry store. Phase one and two will contain the major clothing stores, banks, food outlets and entertainment. It will also be the biggest part of the mall.

The mall is the first in Orange FarmThe mall is the first in Orange FarmPhase four will have a Build It and other wholesale stores.

At the sod turning on 17 August, Ward 4 councillor Simon Mlekeleli Motha said this shopping mall was a dream come true for Orange Farm residents. It would have a positive impact for the community, he added.

Developers David Lieberman, along with his business partner, Vusi Tshabalala, of Site Architects, were on hand to talk about what the mall would entail and its significance to the community.

Lieberman explained that the project was designed so that people could spend their money in their own township instead of travelling lengthy distances to buy groceries and other household items.

About 75 to 85 percent of money leaves Orange Farm when people shop in surrounding suburbs, and only 15 to 25 percent of the money is retained.

Once the mall is finished, it is estimated that 60 to 70 percent of cash will be retained in the township and only 30 to 40 percent will leave.

Mall welcome: Region G director Mlaleli BerlotRegion G director Mlamleli Berlot: mall welcomeHe said the mall would also create a number of jobs in this impoverished area and in the long-term it would help to eradicate poverty in Orange Farm. “This sod turning event is the beginning of what we will be doing. This is the beginning of the Orange Farm CBD.”

Mlamleli Berlot, Region G’s regional director, voiced his excitement about the mall, saying he appreciated the private sector involvement in changing and upgrading townships in the region.

The City had invested R58-million in the area so that Orange Farm could become as developed as Soweto, and to improve the lives of its residents. “The City took a decision to do a number of things to ensure community involvement and active participation in shaping their own future,” Berlot said.

“We are committed to work in partnership with all sectors of society.” It was though the facilitation of the City that private investment could be made, he said.

Joburg’s vision is to develop Stretford Station into a multi-modal facility to ensure that Orange Farm is changed for the betterment of the community.