News / National
Egodini Mall will never happen?
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Bulawayo councillors have renewed calls to cancel a tender awarded to South African engineering firm, Terracotta, for the redevelopment of Egodini bus terminus into a multi-purpose mall.
In 2012, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) contracted Terracotta to transform Basch Street terminus into a modern shopping mall under a build-operate-transfer arrangement. The project was initially projected to cost US$60 million. However, Terracotta has failed to meet multiple deadlines, with only a terminus and vending spaces opened to the public last year.
According to the latest council minutes, city officials believe it is time to terminate the contract and seek other developers.
"It is now very clear that the contractor is failing to deliver," said Bulawayo Proportional Representation councillor Melisa Mabeza. "As such, the contract should be cancelled. Residents are complaining that councillors are engaging in corrupt activities. A meeting should be organised with the contractor."
Ward 17 councillor Sikhululekile Moyo echoed these concerns, attributing the current disorder in the city centre to delays in the Egodini Mall project.
"The current disorder in the CBD was caused by the delay at Egodini Mall," she said. "It is very clear that the contractor has no capacity to do the project."
This is not the first time the issue has been raised. In November 2023, ward 15 councillor Ashton Mhlanga moved a motion for the contract's cancellation. However, the motion was not supported, and instead, council opted for an engagement with the contractor. This resulted in the completion of Phase 1, which included a commuter omnibus terminus, vending stalls, and ablution facilities.
At various points, the contractor has blamed delays on the COVID-19 pandemic, even as pressure mounts for the local authority to terminate the deal and re-tender the project.
The completion of Egodini Mall would mark Bulawayo's most significant infrastructural development since the Bulawayo Centre Shopping Mall, which was completed in 2007. In 2023, reports surfaced that Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart was engaging with South African company McCormick Property Development to accelerate the completion of the long-overdue project.
With public frustration growing over the delays, councillors appear set to push for a new approach to ensure the project finally takes off.
In 2012, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) contracted Terracotta to transform Basch Street terminus into a modern shopping mall under a build-operate-transfer arrangement. The project was initially projected to cost US$60 million. However, Terracotta has failed to meet multiple deadlines, with only a terminus and vending spaces opened to the public last year.
According to the latest council minutes, city officials believe it is time to terminate the contract and seek other developers.
"It is now very clear that the contractor is failing to deliver," said Bulawayo Proportional Representation councillor Melisa Mabeza. "As such, the contract should be cancelled. Residents are complaining that councillors are engaging in corrupt activities. A meeting should be organised with the contractor."
Ward 17 councillor Sikhululekile Moyo echoed these concerns, attributing the current disorder in the city centre to delays in the Egodini Mall project.
"The current disorder in the CBD was caused by the delay at Egodini Mall," she said. "It is very clear that the contractor has no capacity to do the project."
This is not the first time the issue has been raised. In November 2023, ward 15 councillor Ashton Mhlanga moved a motion for the contract's cancellation. However, the motion was not supported, and instead, council opted for an engagement with the contractor. This resulted in the completion of Phase 1, which included a commuter omnibus terminus, vending stalls, and ablution facilities.
At various points, the contractor has blamed delays on the COVID-19 pandemic, even as pressure mounts for the local authority to terminate the deal and re-tender the project.
The completion of Egodini Mall would mark Bulawayo's most significant infrastructural development since the Bulawayo Centre Shopping Mall, which was completed in 2007. In 2023, reports surfaced that Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart was engaging with South African company McCormick Property Development to accelerate the completion of the long-overdue project.
With public frustration growing over the delays, councillors appear set to push for a new approach to ensure the project finally takes off.
Source - the standard
