Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa November/December 2013 | Page 17

NEW R400 MILLION REGIONAL EYETHU ORANGE FARM MALL, GAUTENG
The remarkable development of
Eyethu Orange Farm Mall will result
in the entire Orange Farm community
holding a 10% stake in this 27,000m2
regional shopping mall, which is helping
to transform the area into a flourishing
central business district, and creating a
valuable multi-faceted community asset.
This extraordinary vision, 19 years in the
making, is finally becoming a reality.
The mall – located midway between
Johannesburg and Vereeniging - broke
ground last month, and will proudly open
its doors in September 2014.
The idea for Eyethu Orange Farm
Mall was first born with businessman,
Vusi Tshabalala, nearly 2 decades ago.
Tshabalala believes that where the
community has no mineral wealth, its only
wealth is its buying power. He saw a future
where the community of Orange Farm
could benefit from its own spending power
by developing a shopping mall in which the
community owned a stake.
Tshabalala has steadily converted
important partners to this far-sighted
thinking. First, his now business partner
in Stretford Land Developments, David
Lieberman, then award-winning property
developers and investors, Flanagan
& Gerard, and the local Orange Farm
community itself. This is where the City
of Jo’burg became involved and, at its
request and under its guidance, a formal
stakeholders forum was established. This
forum has met every month since it was
formed in November 2008, indefatigably
working towards this visionary shopping
mall development.
Tshabalala says: “A condition for
the community owning a stake in the
mall was that it should be owned by the
community, not by individuals. The Orange
Farm Community Trust was formed to
hold shares in the mall on behalf of the
community. This trust will fund community
needs and encourage investment in, and
the development of, Orange Farm. Our
hope is that it will ensure that the Greater
Orange Farm Community participates in
its own wealth creation and builds that
wealth in a sustainable manner.”
On completion, Eyethu Orange Farm
Mall will be owned by the Orange Farm
Community Trust with a 10% stake,
Stretford Land Developments with 30%
and Flanagan & Gerard Investments with
30%. It has also attracted the investment
confidence of empowered JSE listed
property company, Dipula Income Fund,
which will own a 30% stake.
The National Empowerment Fund,
through its Rural & Community Develop
Project Watch

-ment Fund unit, is providing R50 million
on behalf of the Orange Farm Community
for the 10% equity stake.
The mall’s developers are Flanagan &
Gerard Developments and Stretford Land
Developments. Standard Bank is funding
the development of Eyethu Orange
Farm Mall.
Lieberman explains the benefit from
the community’s stake is intended for
constructing special needs projects
such as centres for development,
learning, safety or care. The projects
will be decided by the Orange Farm
Community Trust whose trustees are
volunteers elected by the community. )