The development of the R1.7-billion Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth has boosted the Eastern Cape construction industry.
Commenting on the mall this week, Eastern Cape Economic Development MEC Mcebisi Jonas said the province’s construction industry had out-performed all other provinces in the first nine months of this year, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) published by StatsSA.
About 1,500 local jobs will be created during the mall’s construction phase, out of a total of 3,000 direct jobs. A further 7,000 indirect and induced jobs will be created.
Baywest City MD Gavin Blows said the mall would boast 260 tenants, “of which 85% are major national retailers”. Most of the mall’s tenants for its retail outlets already secured, including Game, Ster Kinekor, Truworths, Edcon Group, Woolworths, Pick n Pay and Checkers.
Blows said the mall was set to change the face of retail in the region.
“Baywest is set to have an extremely positive long-term effect not only on the construction industry in the province, but also on other sectors such as tourism and retail. Over the next 15 to 20 years, Baywest City will grow into a R6-billion development.
“It will be to the Eastern Cape what Canal Walk is to Cape Town or what Sandton is to Johannesburg. It will be a massive attraction for Eastern Cape residents, as well as a major draw card for national and international visitors, in the meantime injecting much-needed jobs and income into the local economy.
“With construction on track, we are confident that when the mall opens in early 2015 shoppers will want to come from all over the region for the ‘Baywest experience’. It’s going to be something totally unique and engaging,” he said.
Upon completion of the 87,500m² shopping centre in early 2015, a further 1,500 permanent jobs will be created to staff about 260 retail outlets.
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