PINECREST Shopping Centre is expected to be fully operational before the festive season.
This is according to centre manager, Michael Larsen who said they were doing everything in their power to get the mall up and running as soon as possible to serve their customers. This includes re-opening in phases.
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The centre is temporarily shut down following the looting and unrest last month.
“Should everything go smoothly, we expect to be fully open in two to three months from now and well before the festive season,” said Larsen.
The centre has served the community of Pinetown for nearly 30 years. It opened in the late 1980s to become the first shopping centre in the town and it is still the biggest retail centre in the Pinetown CBD.
Recently, the Pinecrest Mall, known previously as the Sanlam Centre, was transformed.
The revamped mall was officially launched in 2019 following an upgrade which began in January 2018.
The upgrade included an expansion that created an entire new floor of retail stores beneath the original centre and a stylish overall redesign.
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Speaking about the damage, the centre manager told the Highway Mail it was not significant in the context of the value of the property, but they will require a complex reinstatement project as the intricate fire system will need to be refurbished.
When asked about the estimated number of the people who face possible unemployment, Larsen said it is impossible to estimate the number as each shop is an employer. “Those affected include direct jobs at the mall, but also indirect jobs (including producers and service providers across the supply chain) and even seasonal and casual jobs. We are working as fast as we can to re-open and get as many people back to work as soon as possible,” he said.
He mentioned that this has been a huge set-back for the community, but fortunately they have already secured a contractor for the reconstruction process.
Larsen added that the centre management was grateful to all those who stepped forward to help and they were inspired by the outpouring of support from customers and the community.
“We remain committed to serving them,” added Larsen.
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