The Prince Buthelezi Mall, formerly known as Greenhills Mall, is a new regional shopping centre in Empangeni, South Africa. It is one of the largest retail offerings in the broader Empangeni region.
The shopping centre is a collaborative venture between Moolman Group, a property development and asset management company; Twin City Development, a property investment company; and Melta Capital, an investment company.
The renaming of Greenhills Mall to Prince Buthelezi Mall honours Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a respected leader in Zulu culture.
Construction on the project began in December 2024, and the shopping mall was opened in April 2026, creating more than 1,200 jobs.
Location of Prince Buthelezi Mall
The Prince Buthelezi Mall is situated on a portion of Erf 11447, Richards Bay, among the hills of the King Cetshwayo District municipality in South Africa. It is located approximately 3km from Empangeni, 5km from Ngwelezane Township and 15km from Esikhawini.
The mall site has been rezoned from Agriculture 1 to Lifestyle Centre Zone for the development of the retail centre. It is conveniently positioned near KwaZulu-Natal’s key economic centres.
Neighbouring landmarks include the Empangeni central business district (CBD), Ngwelezane Township, the local neighbourhoods and commercial area of Empangeni, the 5 Ways Mall and the Umfolozi Hotel Casino Convention Resort.
The mall is strategically positioned on the R102 regional route and adjacent to the N2 and John Ross Highway (R34) intersection, the main intersection of Empangeni, for optimal accessibility. It is also close to affluent residential areas, which makes it an attractive destination for a diverse range of shoppers.
Significant road improvements and better access routes to the mall enhance the shopping experience.
Prince Buthelezi Mall development background
Comprehensive research conducted by the developers of the Prince Buthelezi Mall led to the identification of a demand for a centralised shopping hub in Empangeni that serves both the middle-class and wealthier segments, as well as aspirational consumers within its vicinity.
Retail activity in the town is currently dispersed across the CBD and peripheral suburbs. Existing retail options for the people of Empangeni include small centres and street-front retail, with the Empangeni Shopping Centre in the CBD being the largest retail option with an area of approximately 37,000m².
The CBD’s congestion, insufficient parking, accessibility challenges, safety concerns and overall decline are expected to redirect shoppers to favour the Prince Buthelezi Mall for an improved shopping experience.
The Prince Buthelezi Mall is the developer’s second major venture in the region following the Princess Mkabayi Mall project in KwaZulu-Natal, which opened in October 2024.
Prince Buthelezi Mall details and features
The Prince Buthelezi Mall is a fully enclosed shopping centre, covering a gross lettable area of 37,096m². It houses around 100 retail outlets and offers a contemporary shopping experience.
Amenities at the mall include a spacious entrance hall, ample seating areas, a food court, an entertainment area with a children’s play zone and artistic installations, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi access, charging stations for electronic devices, and more.
Additionally, a taxi rank and approximately 1,626 parking spaces are available.
Design details
The architectural design of the Prince Buthelezi Mall draws inspiration from the surrounding landscape of green rolling hills.
The main entrance features curved forms and vertical green slats that reference the local topography and nearby sugar cane fields.
Colours and finishes, both inside and outside the mall, reflect the textures of fever trees and the natural earth tones common to the area.
Retail options at the Prince Buthelezi Mall
The mall is anchored by popular retail stores and brands including grocery stores and supermarkets such as Checkers FreshX, Shoprite, Boxer and Woolworths, as well as pharmacies Dis-Chem and Clicks.
Major fashion retail brands at the mall include TFG, Pepkor, Mr Price Group, Truworths and Retailability.
The list further includes Miladys, Identity, Mr Price, Crazy Plastics and Roots, alongside Legit and Edgars, Ackermans, Old Khaki, Studio 88 and Jam Clothing. Other brands include Pep Home, Clothing Junction, Skipper Bar, Sportscene and Foschini.
The food offerings at the centre include Fish Always, Nando’s, Hungry Lion and King Pie, in addition to Steers, Mug and Beans, Debonairs Pizza and Roman’s Pizza.
In addition, there are major financial institutions including Capitec, Standard Bank, FNB, Absa and Old Mutual.
The mall also houses Galaxy Bingo, which promotes one of the best gaming experiences in South Africa.
Contractors involved
Ikotwe Construction is the main contractor on the project, with Jodan Construction responsible for bulk earthworks. MDS Architecture served as the lead architect, supported by Matla Quantity Surveyors.
Watson Mattheus Consulting provided electrical engineering services, while Ingplan Consulting Engineers led fire and mechanical engineering.
Metik Consulting was the civil and structural engineer, and Watsol Group managed wet services.
Tenant coordination was handled by Orion Project Managers, while RealNet Properties provided leasing and retail space brokerage.
Millenium Roller Doors supplied rolled doors, while Open Fibre supplied the fibre network infrastructure, and Badec Bros Deco supplied furniture and litter bin solutions for both the interior and exterior spaces of the mall.
Bell Equipment Mining & Construction, STRUXIT Projects, WMPB Land Surveyors, Cairnmead, and Global SHEQ Consulting and Training Professionals are some of the other contractors involved in the Prince Buthelezi Mall project.
