Address by Premier T S P Makwetla at The Opening of the Highveld Mall
Emalahleni

26 April 2007

Programme Director,

The Executive Mayor of Emalahleni, Councillor Linah Malatjie,

The municipal manager and senior officials from Emalahleni Local Municipality,

The Directors of the joint venture:

• Mr KS Malabie

• Mr N Shongwe

• Mr JPD Flanagan, and

• Mr PCM Gerard

Owners of the different entities in the joint venture,

Contractors and financiers,

The working people,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen

Allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate members, shareholders and leaders of the joint venture that drove the development of the Highveld Mall here Emalahleni.  This investment to the tune of R 450m (Four hundred and fifty million rands) is an extremely critical intervention in the local economy and the economy of Mpumalanga province. 

We understand that about 700 (seven hundred) jobs were created during the construction phase and 1600 (one thousand six hundred) full time jobs are expected to be created once the mall is operational.  These are satisfactory numbers indeed.  It is our sincere hopes that even when the mall is fully operational, the profile of the employees will reflect the demographics of our country without limiting blacks, women and the disabled to lower categories of employment. 

We are pleased to note that at 50%, black ownership in this mall is so significantly high for a privately owned retail estate that it can safely be referred to as the pride of Mpumalanga.  Ownership by local entities is also a source of great encouragement and pride, giving to the government’s agenda to reduce poverty and unemployment.  The model you adopted in this development is a commendable one for other developers to use going forward.  It is our sincere hope as government that the tenant mix is also empowering to local and previously disadvantaged individuals. 

Program director, distinguished guests the task of undermining poverty and unemployment cannot be left to either government or the private sector alone.  It is only through developmental partnership between the two sectors that the process of undermining poverty and unemployment can be accelerated. 

We are aware that this development has been a catalyst of further developments in what has become a fast a fast developing business node of Emalahleni.  We trust that the local authorities will enable further developments in the node by providing not only the necessary infrastructure but also by ensuring the regulatory processes such as environmental impact assessment are fast tracked. 

Ladies and gentlemen allow me once more to take this opportunity to congratulate all the players in this development and wish you sustained good returns on investment.

Thank you!

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government