24 Nov 2019

Construction of a modern P100 million shopping centre at Lobatse bus and taxi rank is finally underway after experiencing some planning delays.

The project is a public-private partnership between Lobatse Town Council (LTC) and property development company Time Projects.

Lobatse MP, Dr Thapelo Matsheka, who is also Minister of Finance and Economic Development, performed ground breaking to signal commencement of the project on November 21. 

Dr Matsheka commended LTC for engaging the private sector to bring infrastructural and economic development to Lobatse.

He explained that the ideals of private sector led development were cornerstone of the eleventh National Development Plan (NDP 11) and the fourth Urban Development Plan (UDC 4).

“I am very pleased that this town and its leadership have actually taken time to anchor this project using private sector resources and partnership. 

It is purely because of the leadership of this town, to realise that we could not continue to ask for more resources from the national government. 

I want to commend you the leadership for having gone out to actually give us an example of a PPP project in our town,” he said.

Dr Matsheka pointed that the shopping centre would restore Lobatse as a regional hub in the Southern district. The project is expected to create approximately 1 000 jobs during construction stage and around 600 after completion. That would be a boost to the town which had experienced unemployment problems for many years.

Time Projects director, Mr Brett Marlin said construction activities would start today with construction of a new bus and taxi rank adjacent to the old one. 

Mr Marlin said construction of the rank would be completed in March next year.

He said construction of the shopping centre would then commence around March next year until April 2021.

He said the shopping centre would breathe life back into Lobatse, with well-known retailers such as SPAR, Tops, Clicks, and the First National Bank among other tenants. He said they already had many tenants lined up for the shopping centre.

“It clearly shows our dedication and confidence in Lobatse that we are going to be spending P100 million on developing a taxi rank and a shopping centre. 

When we spoke to tenants it was actually quite amazing to see that tenants showed interest. 

We have a whole lot of other national tenants that are moving here. So we are really encouraged,” he said.

Mr Marlin pointed that they experienced some challenges during the project planning stage but LTC assisted to ensure that it finally took off.

“Without the effort that the Lobatse Town Council have put in we simply could not be where we are today,” he said.

The council has leased the land where the project was being constructed for 25 years. ends