A major shopping and services centre is to be erected in Umlazi near the Durban International Airport.

The R150 million Umlazi Mega City will be owned by the Marriott funds SA Retail Properties and Martprop Property Fund,  and will provide work and new opportunities for 1800 people. Negotiations are advanced for a third of the ownership to pass to a black empowerment company, says Roger Perkin, managing director of Martprop.

A 40-year lease has been signed by the developer Mark II Project Managers with Transnet and work has started  on the 14 ha site at the gateway to Umlazi which is home to more than 600 000 people. 

The contractor Grinaker-LTA is expected to complete the 28 000sqm centre in time for Christmas 2005. Mark Johnson of Mark II Project Managers says Umlazi Mega City has the enthusiastic support of city leaders, and Umlazi community leaders. “The one-stop centre will be smart and upmarket in a comfortable and secure environment."

The service centre component will be occupied by municipal services where people can pay water, electricity and rates bills. Standard Bank and Nedbank will also occupy this area and provision is being made for medical suites. There will be a service station, and a taxi rank area and offices. A motor city element includes car showrooms and spares outlets.

The anchor tenant of the shopping mall is a substantial 3 000sqm SuperSpar. Fashion is mainly represented by national tenants Jet, Mr Price, Ackermans, Pep and Dunns. There is also an array of food chains and a value centre comprising furniture and hardware retailers.

Peter Sparks, managing director of SA Retail which owns 28 shopping centres in South Africa, says 70% of the space has been taken up already and the rest should be let by the end of May. He says there has been strong support from national retailers who are targeted to occupy 70% of the space. There will be about 75 tenants and there are great opportunities for store ownership and management positions. The letting and management of the centre will be handled by the specialist company Marriott Corporate Property.

For more information contact Roger Perkin or Peter Sparks on 031 3661111, Mark Johnson 031 7654537