By :LUCKY SEKWAKWA.
Are local shopping centres really bringing positive economic changes to our townships? This is a question that most of our community elders are posing around community meetings, but the answer to that question has never seemed to be a clear one to majority. Today when you take a walk around the township/neighbourhood especially in Tembisa there’s lots of shopping centres with different kinds of names not far from each other, but serving almost the same purpose.
Today the very same question is being asked by the youth of this township. The advantages that comes with this townships shopping centres, are they bringing economic changes to this townships. According to the people around, they are still waiting to see the economic changes that comes with this townships shopping centres. The only changes they notice, is that there’s no more money in the households like before, there was money in the households before for unforeseen circumstances that might occur without anyone’s knowledge.
The economic changes that came with this townships shopping centres are to benefit mostly the people that brought them in to our townships. People are getting jobs at this shopping centres, but the amount of salaries they earn doesn’t seem to be changing the economy of the township and not even their own homes. For one to be able to bring an upgrade into their houses while still working in this townships shopping centres, it would take years of savings.
Communities are asking from this townships shopping centres authorities to let the shopping centres be part of the community and help out in the communities whenever there’s crisis or issues facing the community. There should be programs of giving back to the communities, since the businesses are relying on this communities for their survival. Also for goodwill there are some of community members that are struggling and in need of a helping hand. This townships centres authorities should look into such matters so this centres can be the heroes that saves the communities during dark days.
It will also activate the spirit of Ubuntu on everyone that lives around, knowing very well that the money they spend in this centres hasn’t gone to a waste, but it will also be to help out in the community one of the rainy days. Bursaries should be given to top performing students and those who are in need of bursaries to further their studies. The late President Nelson Mandela has asked for our rainbow nation to live with the spirit of Ubuntu and pass it over to the coming generations.
