Mafenyatlala Mall Creates Over 200 Jobs

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Monday July 12, 2010 00:00

 

CBH invested over P60 million to develop the shopping complex on behalf of Kweneng Rural Development Association (KRDA) on the plot where the famous Mafenyatlala Hotel once stood. Mynhardt said there are 258 people employed by the tenants in the shopping complex.  The mall has 43 shops and medical suites. 

Mynhardt said the shops at the complex have an estimated turnover of P7 million per month. He said that they accepted the KRDA offer to develop the facility as a regional mall because  'Molepolole is the biggest urban centre in Botswana after Gaborone and Francistown'.

He said after the initial market research, it was clear that they needed to build a bigger mall and the initial design of 8,000m2 was increased to 11,500m2. 

Mynhardt said from the outset, CBH wished to establish a building that is visually pleasant with sufficient parking and easy to access.

'We needed to provide maximum exposure to a wide variety of multi-national traders, combined with local traders to create a modern urban experience to the population of Molepolole,' he explained.

The Mafenyatla complex is managed and operated by NAFprop (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of CBH.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu who officiated at the opening ceremony, said the government encourages public-private partnerships.  Such collaborative efforts, she said, do not only contribute to economic development, employment creation, but strengthen relations between business and the community. 'This project is a shining example of what can happen if people work together in unity for a common purpose and should therefore be emulated by all and sundry,' she said.

Makgato-Malesu said the name Mafenyatlala is  important because it has a historical significance to Bakwena. The name has long been used to describe and underpin the purpose for which KRDA was established.  'It conveys resilience, hard work and a spirit of responsibility.  Motswana are; tsie e thata ka moswang. I am informed by the management of this complex that in deciding a name for this mall, Mafenyatlala was the most obvious choice. The challenge was to come up with a physical depiction that is representative of what Mafenyatlala means to Bakwena.'

The landscape of the village (the hills and rocks) influenced part of the thought process while the colours used are from the country's natural environment and local crafts. The minister said the government is serious in its  role of creating an enabling environment to allow the private sector to become a leader in the development process. This is because the government cannot act alone.

Makgato-Malesu said that government has taken measures to support local entrepreneurs. For example, the government issued a recent directive to encourage government departments and parastatals to purchase locally-produced goods and services. 'This initiative is intended to promote business development and economic growth. I encourage producers, especially horticulturalists in the Kweneng region, to plant vegetables to supply the Mafenyatlala complex which is now your local market. The same scenario should apply to Mafenyatlala; they should buy from local producers.' 

The minister said the rationale of supporting local industries by the government and the private sector is to ensure that they get the necessary stimuli to grow and build capacity to compete in the local and international markets.