Dutywa businessman, Gcobani Nogoduka, who owns a chain of hardware stores in Butterworth and Dutywa, is now venturing into property development with the construction of a 20 000 square metre shopping mall in Dutywa.
The R320 million project was unveiled during a sod-turning ceremony at the site where the shopping mall will be built, on October 17.
The mall will be constructed adjacent to the new Astron filling station on the busy N2 entering Dutywa from Butterworth.
Nogoduka says his latest venture is to service the high demand for business premises in the town of Dutywa.
“As someone born with an entrepreneurial spirit, I noticed that there was a high demand from investors for business premises, and the shopping mall will cater for that demand,” said Nogoduka.
So high is the demand for business premises that Nogoduka has already signed lease agreements with 42 stores that will make up the new shopping mall. The contractor is already on site, and the construction phase is scheduled to take 15 months with the shopping mall anticipated to start operating in March 2025.
Mbhashe Local Municipality executive mayor, Samkelo Janda, who was part of the sod-turning ceremony, has welcomed the investment by Nogoduka in the municipality.
The development is expected to create 400 jobs during the construction phase and a minimum of 350 jobs once it starts operating.
“Since my young age in my entrepreneurial journey, I always strived to meet the needs of communities. The support I have been receiving from the people of Mbhashe and the municipal council made me the successful businessman that I am.
“The building of the shopping mall has been in the pipeline as far back as 2009, and I wish to thank the Mbhashe Local Municipality for their co-operation thus far, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Nogoduka added.
The mall will operate as Mbhashe LG Mall.
