City to invest in rural commercial nodes upgrade
Shopping malls planned for semi-urban towns in the City of uMhlathuze.
THE towns of eNseleni, Vulindlela and Ngwelezane can expect major investment and future expansion through the creation of commercial nodes.
With Richards Bay, Empangeni and eSikhaleni already well-established, the City of uMhlathuze has now turned its attention to other semi-urban areas.
Plans are already at an advanced stage for the development of a new shopping mall in eNseleni.
The retail centre will be situated about 500 metres from the taxi rank and is set to improve the aesthetics and rural node of eNseleni. With 7000 square metres of retail space, the new shopping mall will comprise, among others, a huge grocery store, popular food outlets, clothing and furniture stores.
The proposed development is bordered by uBhejane, iNdlovu and uQhume roads in eNseleni.
The City Council approved the subdivision, rezoning and consolidation of various properties to establish the commercial mall-type development, which is expected to get off the ground by next year.
A services agreement is being finalised between Council, the purchaser (LST Investments) and the developer (Nseleni Development Company).
While eNseleni had a commercial node, shops were in a derelict condition and this forms part of the City’s urban regeneration project.
The establishment of basic shopping centres in previous township areas is expected to create hundreds of temporary jobs during construction, as well as permanent jobs thereafter.
Boost
uMhlathuze Ward 6 Councillor Dumisani Ndimande hailed the development as a major boost for the rural township.
‘This commercial node is very important to the community as they already travel vast distances for shopping. This township is underdeveloped, so the establishment of a mall will create much-needed job opportunities and will also attract shoppers from uMfolozi,’ Cllr Ndimande said.
Other planned commercial nodes include Vulindlela, which will be bordered by iNhlava, Mfundo and iJadu roads. Six erven could be consolidated to accommodate the proposed development, which is about 1.10 hectares in size.
The third proposed commercial node at Ngwelezane is bordered by Ngwelezane Highway, Mkhulu, Tholimpilo and Thinasobabili roads.
Most of the identified properties are privately-owned and negotiations are underway with property owners to finalise and develop the node as a mall-type development.
