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All you need to know about the Egodini Mall constructon project from inception to date
March 2019
Construction of Zimbabwe’s biggest infrastructure development in 24 years- the Egodini mall which was set to open its doors to the public this year has stalled due to the country’s financial breakdown.
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Contractors developing the project that is aimed to change the face of the city business-wise has not been on site. Only test holes drilled by geo-technical and hydrological teams remain in place, but the work has stopped.
“The Zimbabwean economy is not doing well at the moment. As the economy improves, then we will do phase two and as the economy improves, we then do phase three. That is the way it will actually works,” said Bulawayo Mayor Solomon Mguni.
“We have summoned the project directors and are putting final touches before construction work can continue,” Metropolitan Affairs minister Judith Ncube added.
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Egodini mall
Located in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city, Egodini mall is on a build, operate and transfer basis and would come at no cost to council. The site will include a transport hub located on the Basch Street ground level, retail sections and parking bays.
South African contractor, civil engineering firm Terracotta Trading (Private) Limited, won the tender to upgrade the former Basch Street Terminus into a regional public transport hub in 2012 ahead of two other companies.
The refurbishment is expected to see the terminus handling at least three million travellers per month, according to the council. As part of the redesign of the terminus, council will expand existing roads into the site and create dedicated pedestrian routes to increase traffic access.
Upon completion the development is expected to would change the face of the city business-wise. Bulawayo was set to ultimately own it once Terracotta had recouped its investment. According to the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), opening of the mall has been further pushed back because the contractor is not ready.
“Councillors’ opinions are divided. Some want us to cancel the deal, others want us to engage the contractor. We are yet to receive the progress report from council management and officials on the current state of work at Egodini. Councillors opinions are divided. Some want us to cancel the deal, others want us to engage the contractor. We are yet to receive the progress report from council management and officials on the current state of work at Egodini,” said Solomon Mguni.
December 2021 Local companies blamed for delays of the Egodini Mall in Bulawayo
Terracotta Trading (Private) Limited, a South African property developer, accused Bulawayo firms of delaying Egodini Mall’s development. COVID-19 lockdowns imposed by the government in 2020, according to company director Thulani Moyo, have also contributed to the delays.
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Under a build, operate, and transfer (BOT) arrangement, Terracotta was engaged by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) in 2016 to renovate the Basch Street station and transform it into a multi-purpose mall. According to the company, the renovation would cost a total of $60 million. However, there has been no apparent construction. Moyo, on the other hand, indicated that subterranean construction of 5 kilometres of water, sewage, and fire lines had been completed.
Delays in the Egodini Mall Project
According to Moyo, the stakeholders meeting agreed that the project should attempt to strengthen Bulawayo businesses, but they still caused delays and took an excessive amount of time to provide goods. If the firm had been allowed to import supplies from South Africa, Moyo said the project might have been completed far sooner. Residents are becoming increasingly frustrated with the project’s failure. The Terracotta tender has been cancelled due to a petition from residents. According to Moyo, the project’s first phase would be completed in the first quarter of 2022.
Phase 1A has 100 informal merchant booths, a 100-bay taxi rank, a security wall, a security tower, motor, retail, and taxi association offices, public restrooms, and a service lane. In the second phase, a bus station, fast-food restaurants, and a supermarket anchor will be added. The Bulawayo Progressive People Association (BPRA)’s Sibindi alleged that the Bot Egodini Mall arrangement had taken citizens for a ride.
Sibindi said that the council had given the corporation the runaround since they were so dependant on the location. As a result, people’s lives have suffered as a result. Sibindi also expressed his displeasure, adding that it made no sense to award the deal to a business that lacked funds. Thembelani Dube, the BPRA’s secretary for administration, called with the federal government to take over the project. Deputy Mayor Mlandu Ncube, on the other hand, asked citizens to be patient. When completed, the mall will be one of the city’s major development projects in over two decades. |
