Property

New shopping mall with a Checkers, Steers and a Platō coming to South Africa 15-minute city

Kirsten Minnaar • 20 October 2026

A new shopping centre called The Village on Circular is taking shape in Gqeberha, with Checkers, MediRite Pharmacy, and several restaurant brands among the first tenants announced.

The retail development is located at 97 Wessel Swart Drive in Fairview, near Circular Drive, and will add another shopping destination to the growing western side of the Eastern Cape city.

The centre has already confirmed a mix of grocery, pharmacy and food outlets, including Checkers FreshX, Wimpy, PRÍMA Burger, Plato, Steers and Bossa.

PRÍMA Burger, which specialises in burgers made with veld-reared beef, handmade brioche and house-made sauces, is among the restaurant brands joining the development.

Bossa will also open at The Village, bringing its menu of burgers, pizzas, steaks, ribs and cocktails to the Circular Drive area. Platō and Steers have also been announced as tenants.

Some of the centre’s flagship tenants include MediRite Pharmacy, which will provide pharmacy services, and Checkers FreshX.

The Village is being developed by Western Gruppe Properties, with Alpha Omega Construction, Axiom ARC and several engineering and construction firms involved in the project.

The centre’s developers have yet to announce an opening date. Further tenants are also expected to be revealed as the development progresses.

Its location in Fairview puts it within Gqeberha’s growing western commercial area, where residential developments and new business facilities are expanding the range of services available to local residents.

Gqeberha’s development boom

The Village on Circular is one of several property developments underway in Gqeberha, as investment continues across retail, residential and industrial property.

One nearby development is The CollectHive, which offers a separate mixed-use development on Circular Drive in Fairview.

It combines retail space with a food hall, children’s play area, gym, spa and office facilities, with completion expected in 2026. The project adds to the range of commercial and lifestyle developments being introduced in the area.

Established shopping centres are also expanding their offerings. Growthpoint Properties is investing R75 million in the redevelopment of Walmer Park Shopping Centre.

The project includes a new internal mall area and additional retail space, with the full redevelopment expected to be completed in November 2026.

The updated centre is bringing several new retailers to Gqeberha, including Yuppiechef and ARC, which are both entering the Eastern Cape market for the first time. MR.DIY is also scheduled to open at Walmer Park in October 2026.

Boardwalk Mall is also undergoing a separate R60 million expansion, which is scheduled to be completed in November 2026.

The project will add 2,584m² of gross lettable area, including new retail space within Sun Park, as well as leisure facilities such as padel courts and a five-a-side soccer venue.

Gqeberha’s development activity extends beyond retail. Newlyn Group is developing a 150,000m² logistics park near the Port of Gqeberha, with the overall project valued at approximately R640 million.

Its first 10,000m² warehouse is expected to reach practical completion in December 2026, while construction of a second warehouse is scheduled to begin in October.

The park is intended to accommodate warehousing, distribution and light manufacturing businesses, benefiting from its access to major transport routes and the port.

The broader Nelson Mandela Bay area is also seeing investment linked to the Coega Special Economic Zone, which supports manufacturing, logistics and other industrial activities.

The Eastern Cape government has also identified the planned Coega Ridge development as a major future project.

The proposed R60 billion development is expected to include approximately 38,000 housing units, alongside commercial, institutional and industrial facilities.

These projects form part of a wider development pipeline that is expected to increase demand for housing, retail and supporting services across the metro.