THE Mabopane business hub, which provided business development opportunities for local small and medium-sized enterprises in the Tshwane area, has been closed.
The temporary closure of the hub, allegedly for six months beginning in December 2022 for refurbishment, has resulted in the failure of local enterprises.
The commercial centre is located on Mabopane's busiest road, Block E on the M17 Highway next to the old Central City Shopping Complex. The hub was temporarily shut down due to the Covid-19 outbreak, resulting in several stores closing.
The Department of Labour inspected the area in 2010 following reports of non-compliance regarding the installation of the electricity distribution board, which was not covered and the certificate of compliance for electrical installation was unavailable.
Daily Sun visited the business site on Monday, 2 April, and discovered that several of the popular stores including internet cafés, local business forums, salons and clothing stores had closed.
According to Thabo Mathibe, a security guard, a majority of the businesses were popular since the early 1990s when they serviced residents of Mabopane, Soshanguve and Winterveldt.
The Mawikta Taxi Association recently converted the business site parking lot into a mini taxi rank.
Lesiba Letlape of Mawikta in Mabopane said: "SMEs used to receive support from commuters at Mabopane Train Station and train services have always been on and off, which badly affected business. However, a majority of business owners in the area had no government support."
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According to some store owners, criminal activity contributed to the failure of countless local businesses as well as a lack of support and preference for well-known and foreign retail stores in the area.
"Non-professionalism, a lack of funds and not being able to sustain our businesses all contributed," said Lesedi Mojapelo, a former confectionery owner at the centre.
Malebo Nkosi from Hebron, who used to run an internet cafe in the business area, said a high crime rate and a lack of police visibility were additional issues.
“Criminals target our businesses late in the evening and rob us," she said.
