Umlazi Mega city joins with the community to celebrate greatness
Umlazi Mega City is celebrating greatness and rewarding achievers within its neighbouring Umlazi community with donations that recognise their achievements and help them to continue to uplift others.
General Manager of Umlazi Mega City, Siphumelele Khuzwayo, said that Umlazi Mega City was proud to present a number of cheques to community achievers last week.
Menzi High School’s Deputy Principle, Nozipho Ndlanya, was awarded R5000 that will go towards refurbishing and upgrading their schools facilities. Entrepreneurs Sithembile Dube and Sabelo Ngema each received R3 000 in marketing and advertising assistance.
Dube’s company, Inkwa Waste Management, operates a fleet of vacuum trucks that remove effluent waste and desludge septic tanks. Ngema’s NUZ Media Company offers services ranging from photography, events coordination and videography for all occasions from weddings to concerts.
Non-profit organisation, the Hlanganani Foundation, also received a R4000 donation. Ayanda Dlamini collected this on behalf of the organisation which is based in V Section Umlazi. The foundation works side by side with the community in supporting disadvantaged families, children and individuals. It specialises in health and education training, advising children and young people about the importance of sanitation and hygiene. It also provides “Back-To-School” support vouchers to help pay for their school fees, school uniforms and meals. They also support families and individuals in the low-income bracket, unemployed and affected by poverty by supplying essential items such as toilet paper and sanitary pads.
S’phume Khuzwayo, who has worked in a number of Durban malls including, Bluff Towers, Davenport Square and Springfield Value Centre, said there was something particularly special about working in a community Mall such as Umlazi Mega City.
On average, we have about 1.3 million shoppers coming through the Mall each month. The people of Umlazi are great. They really support the Mall and they are constantly in contact with us which enables us to really feel part of the greater community.
She says that they reached a record of 1.7 million shoppers through the mall during December 2017 – a significant achievement as last year was a very difficult trading year. “Those are the best numbers we’ve ever done. Now, there’s no reason why December 2018 can’t see us reach 2 million shoppers. That is what we are working towards.”
Mrs Khuzwayo puts this down to the additional tenants and new product mix since Umlazi Mega City was revamped and relaunched in November 2017.
The R370 million investment in extending the mall added additional retail space, almost doubling the total lettable area to 52000m. Management is being strategic about who gets to occupy the remaining available retail space. The mall is conducting ongoing research to establish which brands and products the customers want to see in the mall and is approaching the relevant retailers ranging from fashion to fast food tenants.
Mrs Khuzwayo says that Umlazi Mega City will continue to give back to their valued shoppers by recognising and rewarding achievers and leaders within their community though the Celebrating Great campaign.
“It’s great to be excited about what our community is excited about,” she points out.
