Top 10 Biggest Malls in South Africa, South Africa is a country that loves malls: indoor, outdoor, with air con, without air con. There are more than 200 different shopping centres in this country alone, and they vary both in size and location. They can be found in the middle of the suburbs, or on busy stretches of highway. The biggest of all are to be found in Gauteng (the province around Johannesburg) and KZN (around Durban).
Top 10 Biggest Malls in South Africa
Below is our list of the top 10 biggest malls in South Africa.
Sandton City, Johannesburg – 140 000m²
Sandton City is the largest shopping centre in Africa with a total leasable area of 140 000m². It opened in 1971 and has been growing ever since, with the next phase of construction scheduled to begin later this year.
Sandton’s brand new R10 billion expansion will be completed by 2020 and will include two hotels, one casino (the only legitimate gambling venue currently operating in South Africa), a theatre and an ice rink. Sandton City has over 1 500 stores including such big names as H&M, Mango and Louis Vuitton among others.
East Rand Mall, Boksburg – 125 000m²
Located in Boksburg, the East Rand Mall is one of the largest shopping centres in South Africa. It boasts over 2 000 parking spots to accommodate its visitors.
The mall has over 200 shops and restaurants, as well as a supermarket and entertainment centre. The East Rand Mall is open from 10am until late on weekdays and until 6pm on weekends.
It also offers accommodation services such as guest houses, hotels and hostels for overnight stays. For those who wish to visit attractions such as the Cradle of Humankind or Sun City Casino & Entertainment World while at the East Rand Mall can do so by taking advantage of their shuttle bus service that connects them with these locations at no extra cost.
Cresta Shopping Centre, Johannesburg – 108 000m²
Cresta Shopping Centre is located in the Cresta suburb of Johannesburg and is often regarded as one of the largest shopping malls in South Africa. It is also the first shopping centre in South Africa to be awarded the LEED Gold certification – an award for environmentally responsible buildings.
In addition to many shops and restaurants, there are a number of attractions such as an ice-skating rink, play area for children, bowling alley and cinema complex. The mall houses over 200 retailers including Woolworths Supermarket (formerly Womz), CNA Pharmacy (formerly Checkers), Spar Hypermarket (formerly Shoprite), Game stores etc.
Cape Town CBD (Canal Walk), Cape Town – 105 000m²
The Canal Walk is a shopping centre in Cape Town, South Africa. It was opened in 1999 and has since grown to be the largest mall in the Western Cape, with a total of 105 000m² of floor space.
The mall’s anchor tenants are Woolworths, Game, Foschini and Edgars. There are also over 200 retail stores and food outlets on site, including clothing stores such as H&M Fashion Store & Zara Home Store; department stores like Mr Price Group (discount); restaurants like Spar (convenience store) and Wimpy Bar & Grill; jewellery shops like Goldsmiths Jewellers; electronics stores like Jika Electronics; toy shops such as Toys R Us etcetera.
Fourways Mall, Johannesburg – 103 362 m²
Fourways Mall is a mall located in the suburb of Fourways, Johannesburg. It was opened in 1986 and has a total floor space of 103 362 m². The mall is currently owned by the Shoprite Group.
The mall has over 300 stores as well as restaurants and entertainment options like an ice skating rink, bowling alley and cinema complex. There are also other features such as mini golf course on top of the parking garage with great views over Sandton city skyline which makes it one of the most popular places to visit if you are looking for something fun to do on a Saturday night out with friends or family.
Mall of Africa, Johannesburg – 96 000m²
You’ll find Mall of Africa, in Johannesburg, South Africa to be the largest mall in the country with a total gross internal area of 96 000m². The mall opened back in 2014 and has over 500 shops. The mall also offers a water park and even a casino!
If you’re looking for more than just shopping at your local South African mall then look no further than Mall of Africa’s entertainment options. There is a theme park on site which includes an animal petting zoo and mini golf course. For those who want to get their movie fix there is also 14 screen cinema with IMAX screens as well as VIP cinemas available for hire.
Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, Pretoria – 91 840 m²
Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, located in Pretoria, is the newest addition to the list of biggest malls in South Africa. It covers an area of 91 840m2 and has over 230 stores.
In addition to its retail space, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre also includes a food court with over 20 outlets and an entertainment centre that holds concerts and events throughout the year.
The mall has 2 920 parking bays in total but there are plans for further expansion later this year so stay tuned for more news.
Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Durban- 86 000m²
Gateway is the largest shopping centre in Durban and KwaZulu Natal. It has over 300 stores including supermarkets, a food court, and a cinema. The mall also includes an ice skating rink as well as a bowling alley for those who want to have fun after work or on weekends.
Gateway Theatre of Shopping is one of the few malls that offer customers valet parking services. You can simply drive up to your designated parking space and leave your car with one of the valets while you go shopping.
Greenstone Mall, Edenvale – 82 800 m²
Greenstone Mall is the largest shopping mall in Gauteng and is located in Edenvale, north of Johannesburg. It has over 300 shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. The mall also has an amphitheatre and outdoor stage for musical concerts. There’s also a car park for 2 000 vehicles, a movie theatre and bowling alley.
Greenstone Mall was opened in 1994 by Michael Kors Outlet Store, Springbok Clothing Stores (now Truworths) and Steinhoff International Holdings Ltd., which owns Massmart Holdings Ltd., among others
The Pavilion Shopping Centre KZN – 80 889m²
The Pavilion Shopping Centre is the largest shopping centre in KwaZulu-Natal, located at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Durban. It has a total of 80 889m² of retail space, and over 1 000 stores. The centre was built in 1998 to replace the very popular Northgate Shopping Centre which was demolished after being deemed too old and outdated by developers.
Conclusion
South Africa has a lot to offer when it comes to shopping malls. You can find the best of international fashion brands and local flavours in these malls. I hope this list helps you to find the perfect mall for your next great adventure. Top 10 Biggest Malls in South Africa