DURBAN - Construction of the uMhlanga Ocean Mall, part of the R4.5billion uMhlanga mixed-use development, will start next month, Oceans uMhlanga chairman Vivian Reddy said yesterday.
The project, which will take 18 months to complete, is expected to create 500 direct and 2000 indirect jobs. Complications arising from the business liquidation of an on-site contractor had now been resolved and new contractors were being appointed.
Reddy said the 36000 square metre building would have 103 retail outlets and incorporate 22 international luxury fashion brands, 12 restaurants, a supercar dealership and the country’s first snow park.
Reddy said the inclusion of the international brands would create a distinctive and defining feature called the Platinum Walk at Oceans Mall.
“This places the mall among the top three exclusive malls in the country, alongside the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and Sandton City in Johannesburg. This is going to be the most aspirational mall in South Africa. It will transform the northern region and its style of luxurious shopping,” Reddy said.
An artist’s impression of the mall complex. Image: Supplied.
Restaurants would include Hard Rock Café, Rockets, Donatellas and Nikos.
“The development will contain 2 500 parking bays which will incorporate VIP parking. The mall will have Woolworths, Dis-Chem and Checkers as anchors. The luxurious Checkers will be designed in such a way that the various departments will look and feel like specialist stores within a store. This will be the first of its kind for South Africa,” Reddy said.
He said the snow park and Ice Bar were expected to draw crowds from afar and create an exuberant destination, apart from uniquely complementing the shopping experience.
The development, once completed, will accommodate a 36000m2 world-class luxury shopping mall, two exclusive residential towers with 488 apartments, a 207-room five-star Radisson BLU hotel with conference facilities and 65 exclusive hotel apartments.
City manager Sipho Nzuzu said the eThekwini Municipality was proud to boast such an edifice and was looking forward to this state-of-the-art mall, with its great socio-economic impact.
An artist’s impression of the mall complex. Image: Supplied.
He said it was a fact that Durban was one of the fastest-developing metros in the country. “We are drawing big spenders who want to take advantage of the fantastic tourism infrastructure. This mall will clearly satisfy their needs.”