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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2016
“Looking back over the last five years,
we are more than pleased with what
we have achieved so far. From a zero
base in at the beginning of 2011, our shopper
numbers have grown each year to nearly
8,5 million annually,” says Sumari de Ridder,
general manager for Mall of the North. The
75 000 m
2
shopping mall is unmatched in its
dominance in the region.
Trading at Mall of the North has also grown
from strength to strength. “We have achieved
double-digit turnover growth every year since
our opening,” reports de Ridder.
From May to December 2011, during the
Mall of the North’s first calendar year, the shop-
ping centre achieved just below R1-billion in
turnover. In 2015, this figure had doubled to
nearly R2-billion.
“Our retailers play a very big role in the
success we have achieved so far,” adds De Ridder.
“We are happy to say that most of our original
tenants are still with us and we feel privileged
to be able to celebrate this birthday with them.”
The Mall of the North has, however, made
some retail improvements over the past five
years, to ensure its offering remains in step with
the latest trends. De Ridder believes adding
tenants like Cotton On, Foschini Kids, and Soda
Bloc have proved a major attraction within the
province, contributing significantly to improving
FIVE YEARS OF MALL
OF THE NORTH
Mall of the North in Polokwane, an icon of
Limpopo's capital city, celebrated its fifth
anniversary on Thursday, 14 April. Offering
shoppers the largest and most comprehensive
selection of shops, restaurants and the only
cinema complex in Limpopo, Mall of the North
has celebrated many major achievements since its
launch in 2011.
the mall and the first-class shopping experience
it provides. Amajor attraction to both visitors and
residents within the province, Mall of the North
has become a crucial part of the local economy
as one of the biggest ratepayers in Polokwane.
It has also created at least 2 000 jobs. From
its very inception, Mall of the North has been
actively committed to supporting its surrounding
communities and being a good citizen.
“Most of all, on our fifth anniversary, we really
appreciate the wonderful and loyal customers
who welcomed us into their community and
have continued to support us. They have made
Mall of the North the success story it is today,”
says De Ridder.
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Besides the magnificent homes, the
estate boasts stables, paddocks and an
equestrian arena that add to its sustain-
able and integrated ecology. In keeping with this
environment, Rekopane Landscapers suggested
the creation of a rooftop garden as a special
feature on one of the homes.
When approached by the landscapers for
assistance in the vitally important drainage of the
rooftop garden, Kaytech’sWinnie van der Merwe
suggested a four-component system consisting
of a layer of bidim A4, a layer of Flownet, a third
layer of Kaytape and a final layer of bidim A2.
Rekopane Landscapers commenced the
project by installing waterproofing directly onto
the roof. For protection of this waterproofing,
bidim A4 was installed. Bidim is Kaytech’s
multi-graded continuous filament, nonwoven,
needlepunched geotextile manufactured from
100% recycled polyester.
The needlepunching process provides several
advantages including an appreciable thickness,
high porosity and a high drainage capacity. When
incorporated in a subsoil drain, bidim allows
the highest possible throughflow rate while still
providing excellent filtration characteristics.
WATERPROOFING ROOFTOP GARDEN
Situated on a hilltop in Midrand, Gauteng, is the spectacular Waterfall
Equestrian Estate where some of Johannesburg’s most luxurious
homes lie nestled in beautifully landscaped grounds.
It was here
that Kaytech supplied an innovative drainage system that would
effectively maintain the integrity of a rooftop garden.
To control the flowpath of water, Flownet DN3,
a heavy-duty, extruded, HDPE drainage net with
directional flow, was installed over the bidim
A4. Used as a drainage core, Flownet replaces
the need for stone aggregate in subsoil and
structural drains.
A layer of Kaytape S270 was subsequently
rolled out over the Flownet. This slit film,
woven polypropylene tape geotextile acts
as a high modulus separator that, in this appli-
cation, would keep open the flowpaths and
prevent the low modulus bidim intruding into
the Flownet openings.
The composite drain was completed with
the installation of a top filter layer of bidim A2.
In total, 100 m
2
of each product was used for
the drainage of the roof garden. To add filtra-
tion diameter to the drainage system and to
help prevent clogging of the bidim, a layer of
high quality, clean river sand (50 mm thick) was
placed over the drainage system and covered
with a final layer of topsoil.
Rekopane Landscapers was highly impressed
with the ease and speed of installation of these
high quality Kaytech products that enabled them
to complete the entire project within one day.
The final bidim A2 layer separates the cover
soil from the woven tape underneath.
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