79 shops have since opened at the popular Pinetown mall following the rampant looting.
I am from the Mariannhill area and I have been coming to the centre for years. I love it here as it is convenient. I can find and do various other things in the centre. I love that there is a new gym that has just been opened. When I come with my wife to buy groceries, I will just go to the gym while she buys groceries as she takes her time doing shopping. It's a win-win situation for both of us.
PINE Crest Centre’s regular shoppers are pleased that more shops are operating after the looting that resulted in the centre being shut down.
Before the July unrest, the mall was home to shops from clothing and grocery stores to furniture and cellphone shops.
By the end of last week, 79 of those 123 shops had re-opened at the popular Pinetown mall.
The reconstruction started in August and management said the centre is expected to be fully operational in two to three months, before the festive season.
As a store owner, I am happy that I will be able to trade again after the terrible ordeal that left the shop empty. We are currently sorting everything out so that we can open before the festive season. It has been difficult, but we hope that things will go back to normal.
I have been in the Pinetown area for many years and Pine Crest has always been a convenient place to shop. It's good that some shops are now open and I wish that all others, especially banks, can also open soon.
My husband and I are glad that more shops are operating. As Pinetown pensioners, we were affected negatively as we had to travel to the south and north coast areas to buy groceries and other basic necessities.