Doors to looted Durban mall expected to reopen after 8 months – centre manager

FOLLOWING the unrest that left many stores looted and infrastructure damaged, Bridge City Shopping Centre Manager, Brian Wright has revealed that it will take about eight months for the facility to recommence with its operations.

Wright revealed this information during an inspection of businesses and infrastructure conducted by the eThekwini Municipality, Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, and executive committee members at the shopping centre today, July 20.

He said the centre had lost about R1 billion on the building damage.

“I can safely say that from now, it will take for about eight to 18 months for the building to be fully operational. For now, I think there is a need to work together with stakeholders involved to rebuild the shopping centre,” said Wright.

Wright confirmed that few businesses will be shutting down due to a massive loss from the looting and burning of workplaces. He said he was uncertain about the number of people who will lose their jobs from the shopping centre.

“Prior to the discussion with the mayor and officials, there is a commitment to work together to rebuild this critical centre. We are doing everything in power to ensure that the centre commences its operations soon to avoid more job losses,” said Wright.

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Sinegugu Khuzwayo, who manages the cleaning department at the centre, confirmed that the damage caused by the looters was massive.

“We are working very hard to take out the rubbish, but it is going to take time to finish this job because there are many looted stores while others were burnt down in the centre. The cleaning of the centre will take about five months or more,” she said.

She expressed that she was worried about the number of stores’ employees who will lose their jobs as few business owners are threatening to leave the centre.

Chief Executive Officer at Durban Chamber of Commerce, Palesa Phili, said she was disappointed by what had come out of the unrest in the City as well as the province.

“However, there is serious commitment from the City management and medium businesses that had been destroyed. The good thing is that they are very much committed to rebuild the City’s economy. I spoke to the mayor about the insufficient police officers in the City and he promised to resolve that issue,” she said.

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Phili lambasted the police officers from the South African Police Service for their invisibility during the unrest in the City.

“We are working with the City and the province to ensure that there is order in our areas. We are also working closer with the municipality to ensure the rebuilding of our businesses, infrastructure and economy,” she said.

Kaunda said they are working with business sector to rebuild the City. “We are happy about the progress in the discussions with business sector. We applaud business partners that have come out saying that they are not leaving the City,” he said.

He admitted that the unrest had left the city with devastating effects in terms of economy.

“This requires us to work together to reinstate the operations and reconstruct the economy. We must commend the law enforcement agencies, with the little resources that they have, they managed to protect other businesses,” he added.