WeeklySA_AdminTHRIVING: The complex boasts a formidable line-up of anchor tenants comprising Shoprite, Ackermans, West Pack and FNB and Capitec branches…
By Isaac Moledi
Mandla, pictured in the interior of the revamped Eyethu
Cinema, which has been transformed into a cultural hub
that will host exhibitions and other entertainment events.
Among the fixtures inside the hall is a restaurant, which is
currently under construction.
One of Soweto entertainment landmarks, the iconic Eyethu Cinema, has received a new lease on life – now reinvented as a heritage hall that is part of a new shopping centre with multiple retail shops, including Shoprite and Clicks, which opened its doors to the public on November 23.
The move revives the old theatre tradition to combine it with a modern thriving business and entertainment activities.
The iconic theatre, home to one of the first black-owned cinemas in South Africa built in 1968, has been revitalised and transformed into a contemporary community hub while preserving a local legacy that began with a chain of businesses owned by the owner, the late Ephraim Butana Tshabalala and the Tshabalala family in the 1950s.
The new complex opened Thursday last week to a thunderous welcome from the neighbourhood community, and comprises a heritage hall and a modern community shopping centre.
Eyethu, situated in the heart of South Africa’s largest and most iconic township, was a popular fixture on the community landscape – a place for locals to come together and enjoy the latest movies, culture and entertainment.
Born in 1910 in Vrede in the Free State to farmworkers from eSwatini, Tshabalala worked as a forklift driver on a farm before heading to Sophiatown where he was employed by a bus service.
His enterprising spirit saw him quit his job in 1946, and armed with only 20 pounds in savings, began a meat business, which became a roaring success almost instantly. He went on to build a flourishing retail empire that included garages, bottle stores, fish and chips outlets, supermarkets and dry-cleaning depots.
The pride of Tshabalala’s empire was the Eyethu Theatre which, according to some senior community members, was more than just a cinema where various community events were hosted here, holding fond memories for many Sowetans.
Sadly, the once-bustling cinema closed in the 1990s with competition from multiplexes and streaming, and the building fell into disrepair. It has since been recognised as a significant heritage, cultural and social site.
The Tshabalala Family have long dreamt of restoring the theatre to its former glory and social relevance for the community. In 2018 the family found a partner that could help them unlock their vision.
Some 30 years after the theatre shut its doors and, as result of a joint venture of the Tshabalala Family with Abland Property Developers, the leading real estate developer known for shaping the South African landscape for the better, the theatre has finally been reanimated and once again become a thriving hub for the people of Soweto.
“I love this complex because I will no longer use money to travel for my shopping. With Shoprite part of the tenants, I think my shopping desire will be completed,” a young resident who confessed that he did not know anything about Eyethu told Weekly SA Mirror.
Another resident, who said he witnessed various community events, said he was grateful to a new life developing with the advent of the new complex. “I am grateful to be among those who are witnessing this development. The cinema has seen it all,” he said.
The original cinema building has been restored and repurposed into a Heritage Hall that pays tribute to the late Ephraim Tshabalala and is decorated to preserve artworks and photographs of the past activities hosted at the theatre. It is incorporated into a new shopping centre, and together they serve as a symbol of the community’s enduring resilience and determination, and is designed to inspire a new generation of culture and community.
Grant Silverman, Director of Abland Property Developers, says, “We are humbled to work with the Tshabalala family and the community to preserve this treasured landmark and ensure it remains an asset for its community for many years to come.”
In honour of its iconic local heritage, the developers have respectfully retained the original theatre structure, while tailor-making the new centre to the highest standards, especially for the shoppers from the local community in Mofolo.
Extensive efforts ensured that as many people as possible from the immediate community could benefit as part of the 14-month construction project, with many local businesses and workers bringing the two-level, 10,000sqm new shopping centre to life.
Eyethu Shopping Centre features a powerful lineup of anchor tenants comprising Shoprite, OBC Chicken, Ackermans, West Pack, Clicks and bank branches from FNB and Capitec Bank. In addition, it features Tekkie Town, Jam Clothing, Pep Home and Cash Crusaders. Shoppers can also enjoy bites from Pedros Chicken, Debonairs Pizza and Fish and Chips while making use of the centre’s outdoor seating, as well as the convenience of the Chicken Licken Fly Thru in the complex.
The centre manager told WSAM that the centre was fully let with 40 known brands. He was hopeful that it will also take its rightful place as a pillar within the Soweto community.
The community will remain ingrained in the ongoing operation of the centre, not only as visitors and customers but also through the kiosks and small incubation hub retail outlets, as well as being employed by larger retailers.
Conveniently, the centre has its own solar power and will trade during load shedding. It has taxi laybys for public transport and easily accessible on-grade parking, with special consideration given to safe pedestrian access.
“Eyethu Shopping Centre is for the community, but no tour to Soweto is complete without visiting the lovingly restored Heritage Hall,” notes Silverman.
The Eyethu Shopping Centre development is funded by Nedbank. The property is managed by Broll Property Group and marketed by Kitchen Sink.
