THE 36 000sqm luxurious Oceans Mall is open for business. The mall forms part of the award-winning R4.3 billion mixed-used Oceans uMhlanga Development which won the Best Mixed-use Architecture Award at the International Property Awards. 

The mall will be open to shoppers from 15 November. The grand opening of the R1.3 billion Oceans Mall in uMhlanga was held on 11 November where co-developer and Chairman of Oceans uMhlanga Vivian Reddy led a tour showcasing the mall’s features to KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, eThekwini Mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, and other dignitaries. Oceans Mall will create 2 500 jobs and boasts 120 stores with Woolworths and Checkers as its anchor tenants as well as 14 exciting new restaurants. The mall will feature international brands
such as Dolce and Gabbana, Burberry, and Versace with eight other stores in the high end fashion section in the next phase of the development which will open in March 2023. 

The mall boasts a first for South Africa with flagship Checkers FreshX that will offer customers exclusive private label brands such as Forage and Feast – a premium private label endorsed by South Africa’s first Michelin star chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen. It also has a meat market, a sushi bar, and a foreign ground coffee shop.

Premier Dube-Ncube said the opening of Oceans Mall could not have happened at a better time. “It occurs as the province is gearing up for the festive season which will see multitudes of visitors coming to KZN.” She said the influx of visitors to the province is welcomed as it boosts the economic coffers of the province. “The creation of jobs is a crucial step in the direction of economic recovery and revival. Also, earlier today we launched the Integrated Safety Month and Festive Season Campaign to ensure that KZN is safe, peaceful, and incident-free during the festive season and beyond,” said Premier Dube-Ncube. 

Mayor Kaunda echoed Premier Dube-Ncube’s sentiments. He said the Oceans Mall opening was timely. “This mall brings a new shopping experience to eThekwini which will impact positively on the local economy, especially in boosting the local tourism sector. UMhlanga is known as the playground of Durban and Oceans Mall complements the uMhlanga Radisson Blu Hotel which was opened a few months ago.

These new developments will boost tourism.” Mayor Kaunda said the mall, which is part of the City’s catalytic projects, will be a game changer for eThekwini in terms of boosting economic growth, stimulating job and business opportunities, while increasing the rates base and tourism development. “As part of our Economic Recovery Plan, we have identified several catalytic projects as key drivers of economic growth. We want to use these projects to restore business confidence and demonstrate our ability to attract more investment.” Reddy said the mall is designed to cater for everyone and will transform the lifestyle of the entire northern region with a unique KZN mall experience. “Oceans Mall is distinctive and geared for all tastes, including the sophisticated and affluent