KwaThema Customer Care Centre was relaunched, and community’s development discussed, during a ceremony held at the KwaThema Civic Hall on Friday.
The centre was damaged by community members during an electricity strike in KwaThema in 2012.
According to the manager Andries Nkabinde, an estimated R7-million was used to repair the building, wiring and furniture that was vandalised.
Priests were invited and held a prayer for employees, who shared their experience about the day of the vandalism.
Nkabinde urged residents not to damage government property during strikes.
He said, “this centre goes beyond paying for services, it’s the nerve centre of development for the community, and vandalising discourages investors from investing in KwaThema.”
Presentations on the proclamation of the CBD, as well as the development of Cross Road Mall which will be built in corner Tonkmeter and Kgaswane streets were delivered.
Khakhalomzi Sobuwa is a town planner and represented Tshidi Gudlhuza Planners and Associates, tasked by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality with proclaiming KwaThema CBD from being reclassified from a farm to a surbub.
The proclamation is expected to make issuing of title deeds easier, which will enable people to own properties in the CBD.
“Once the township is registered and proclaimed, developers will be able to invest in the area, this will benefit the community through the opening of job opportunities,” added Khakhalomzi.
While Hosia Malekane, a former resident of KwaThema, and leader of Dijalo Property Group has submitted an application to the local council for the development of the shopping centre.
Hosia has been trying to construct a shopping centre in KwaThema for the past 16 years, however his plans could not materialise due to the CBD not being proclaimed, and inability to issue title deeds.
The shopping centre has a development budget of R320-m, and will accommodate an estimated 76 tenants, and might be developed in two phase.
“There will be about 300 jobs created during the construction phase, and 400 new jobs post construction, with opportunities for emerging constructors and subcontractors, said Hosia.
