Retail

The tide is turning for South Africa’s biggest shopping mall

Kirsten Minnaar • 13 February 2026

After a year of major upgrades, new tenants, and strong leasing momentum, Fourways Mall is entering 2026 with a lower vacancy rate and double-digit growth in footfall and turnover.

With total gross lettable area now at 182,000 m², South Africa’s biggest mall has been making strides to bring shoppers back.

In a recent press statement, Fourways Mall said it started 2026 from a place of strength, shaped by a year of focused improvement and incredible progress.

The work done throughout 2025 has been felt across the centre, from how people arrive and move through the space to how they shop, train, eat, and spend time.

The result is a mall that feels clearer, easier and more abundant, now with a vacancy rate of only 5.4%, excluding KidZania, and a growing sense of confidence from shoppers and tenants alike.

Foot count over the critical December period rose by 20% year on year, while the mall’s annual turnover increased by 14%.

Fourways Mall said these gains reflect renewed trust in the centre and a shopper base spending more time at the mall, returning more often and engaging more deeply with what is on offer.

New life has also been breathed into the plane that has stood in the mall for so long, now named Lady Naledi. It has become a popular photo spot for shoppers.

A wave of new tenants has also brought fresh energy to the retail floor. Recent openings include ANTA, Birkenstock, Burnt, Love Matcha, Mangwanani, Nando’s, Old School, Popsicle, RocoMamas, RPM Gym and Walmart.

Behind this visible change is a year of focused leasing activity. In 2025, the leasing team closed more than 32,000 m² in new deals.

The mall also welcomed entertainment-led offerings, including Shooters, Urban Playground, Bloc 11, Total Ninja Interactive, and an expanded Fun Company arcade.

This is in addition to the over 60,000 m² of renewed leases concluded since February 2024. The Ster-Kinekor cinema underwent a revamp that improved the cinema experience.

Improving the shopping experience

According to Fourways Mall, much of the progress made in 2025 centred on the everyday shopping journey.

Upgrades to lighting across parking areas and interior spaces brightened these areas and addressed long-standing concerns about safety and accessibility.

Clear, intuitive signage now guides visitors from surrounding arterial roads to the stores they are seeking.

Entrance numbers, roadside plinths, parking signage, totems, lift chiclets, and directory boards have also helped remove the confusion that once defined the space.

Access points were also reshaped to improve traffic flow and create a more logical connection between levels.

On level zero, the food court and e-hailing zones were fully revamped, introducing a dedicated drop-off area and a safer pedestrian entrance.

A larger taxi holding facility has eased congestion and created a safer, more comfortable system for daily commuters.

The roof parking also took on a new purpose. Full coverage was installed as the first step in the mall’s solar journey, while also unlocking a sheltered rooftop venue that has already proven its value as a large-scale event space.

Operational upgrades ran in parallel, with fire compliance achieved and major improvements to generators and HVAC systems implemented.

Fourways Mall added that large-scale signature events and activations also attracted new customers throughout the year.

These included the Specialty Coffee Expo and National Barista Championships, large fitness events, community runs, Night Markets and the arrival of rAge on the rooftop.

Notably, the latter resulted in the mall’s highest-ever weekend footfall, with over 15,000 people having attended the expo.

Santa Land also returned in 2025 with a new theme, welcoming over 16,000 guests during the festive season.

As 2026 begins, Fourways Mall said it stands as a centre shaped by care, investment and an understanding of how people want to spend their time, and the team won’t be stopping there.

“What we achieved in 2025 gave us real momentum, but it’s only the start of the journey,” said Fourways Mall general manager Juan Palm.

“We’re looking ahead to a year filled with standout events, the opening of The View and the introduction of new brands that South Africans love and feel connected to. There’s much more to come, and we’re excited to share updates in due course.”