Baywest mall which stands as the largest mall in the Eastern Cape is officially open. The mall which is located on the N2 freeway in Port Elizabeth has a foot print of 90 000m2 with shops covering 64 000m2 of the floor space.
The mall was constructed as a joint project between Abacus Asset Management and the Billion Group at a cost of US $0.14bn while another US $23.85m was used for the construction of roads that surround the mall.
According to the Co Chairperson for Baywest, Sisa Ngebulana, the development was an epitome of modern architecture and it would serve as a catalyst for other development that will rise in the area.
Ngebulana noted that the full operation of the mall after the development of JV in 2006 was great and it would benefit the greater Port Elizabeth community.
The Baywest mall would help create jobs and business opportunities in the area.
The Premier for the Eastern Cape, Phumulo Masualle noted that this project will help alleviate poverty in the region and it was a good display of what the public and private sector can do if they collaborated.
75 percent of the workforce for the mall was from Port Elizabeth while subcontracts went to small local businesses in the city.
According to Jaco Odendaal also a Co Chairperson for Baywest, more shops will be added when the mall is fully completed in the next three months with the inclusion of a lifestyle facility.
