NEWSWORTHY
TSHAKHUMA MALL OPENS
Tshakhuma Mall has opened its doors to provide convenient retail to the community of Tshakhuma and surrounds . The 11,500m 2 Mall , anchored by Shoprite , will provide essential retail for the local community who have previously had to travel as far as Makhado to fully satisfy their retail needs . Developed by McCormick Property Development ( MPD ) in partnership with Aha-naha Properties , the mall is completely self-sufficient . The site already has its own borehole and sewerage and wastewater management plant , with solar installation planned . “ In line with our strategy of developing sustainable retail that is not reliant on municipal services , Tshakhuma Mall is one of our most self-sufficient developments to date ,” explains MD of MPD , Jason McCormick . Tshakhuma Mall is the first of four malls in MPD ’ s immediate pipeline for Limpopo with Mehlareng Mall , Madombidzha Mall and Leeuwfontein Crossing all in line for development to commence . Located in Thohoyandou , the site is a prime location for the many retail requirements in the area and is situated alongside the province ’ s largest fruit market . “ We are confident that the opening of Tshakhuma Mall is another first-class development that will contribute to the upliftment of the local communities and areas that we are committed to serving . Developing retail is our mission but developing communities is our passion ,” concludes Jason .
MOSO DECKING INSTALLED AT MADWALENI RIVER LODGE
Babanango Game Reserve , located in the heart of Zululand , KwaZulu-Natal , is a showcase for one of the most ambitious rewilding projects in Southern Africa in recent years . Set among the breathtaking topography of the upper White Umfolozi River Valley , the reserve occupies a vast wilderness area that is steeped in Zulu history and layered upon geological features that date back to the beginning of time . After five years of intense planning , innovative design and careful construction the Madwaleni River Lodge opened to the public in mid-2023 , becoming the new pearl of the Babanango Reserve .
Throughout the design process , the team remained focused on honouring the surrounding social and environmental context of the project . It is not just about creating functional spaces ; it is about creating structures that resonate with the people and the environment . Cultural symbols were translated into contemporary expressions that reflect the history and landscape of the site
The award-winning specialist design company Luxury Frontiers was tasked with the design of this special project . In both its design and operations Madwaleni River Lodge takes great pride in its dedication to sustainability . And this philosophy was at the forefront right from the start of the design process , including in the selection of materials .
In choosing the materials and finishes for the new lodge the owners and designers had to take the harsh local climatic conditions into account , whilst keeping durability and sustainability very much at the forefront of the selection criteria . For the exterior decking and interior flooring for the new lodge , a high-end quality product in keeping with the luxury design was required . Andrew McGill , Product Manager at African Habitat Conservancy explained : “ We decided to test a variety of products by creating a mini test deck close to the site . We left 5 different decking products ( 2 types of hardwood timber , a thermo-treated timber , a leading wood-plastic composite ( WPC ) decking and MOSO Bamboo X-treme ) out in the harsh African sun on the banks of the Umfolozi River for a year . At the end of the year the MOSO decking was still in perfect condition and had fared the best of the 5 products . That , combined with their carbon-neutral status , led us to choose the MOSO . When it came to the interior flooring it was a no-brainer to go with the same product brand , given its durability and high quality appearance .”
This result was no surprise to the design team at Luxury Frontiers ; they had specified and used MOSO Bamboo flooring and decking in other previous luxury lodge projects in different parts of southern Africa , thus they had no hesitation in agreeing with the owners ’ choice . www . moso-bamboo . com
MOSO PHOTOGRAPHY : SVEN MUSICA , LOVE AFRICA MARKETING
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