By Staff Reporter
NKOWANKOWA – Tensions surrounding the construction of the multimillion-rand Dan City Mall continue to escalate, as another group of community members from Mokgoloboto staged a protest outside the construction site on Wednesday, 3 December 2025.
A handful of protesters were seen chanting struggle songs at the entrance of the site, demanding that construction be halted.
According to the group, the land on which the mall is being built belongs to the people of Mokgoloboto, and they insist the development cannot continue until their concerns are addressed.
The Dan City Mall project has faced ongoing controversy in recent weeks, with cultural, traditional, and land-related disputes repeatedly surfacing.
Just days earlier, on Sunday, 30 November, the community of Dan Village held a prayer session seeking peace and progress for the R3-billion development. The gathering, led by local pastors, came amid growing disputes that threaten to disrupt construction.
Tensions intensified when two families from Mokgoloboto and Dan Village claimed that part of the construction area sits on ancestral graves.
On Monday, 24 November, family members visited the site and requested access to the suspected gravesite. When this was denied, they performed traditional rituals at the entrance to honour their ancestors. Their identities remain undisclosed.
The ongoing conflict has raised concerns about potential delays to the development, which had only recently resumed after previous interruptions.
The Dan City Mall, developed by McCormick Property Development (MPD), forms part of a large mixed-use precinct expected to introduce residential zones, schools, health facilities, and commercial opportunities in the Greater Tzaneen area.
The project promises thousands of jobs and significant economic growth for local communities.
However, unresolved cultural claims continue to overshadow progress.
One local traditional leader called for caution and balance, saying, “Development is important, but we must respect our culture. If there are graves, they must be acknowledged and handled properly.”
Construction at the site is ongoing, with visible progress and local workers already active. However, these continued protests and cultural concerns could impact the current project timeline, which aims for the mall to officially open in 2027.
Community members hope that recent prayer gatherings will restore unity and encourage a peaceful, culturally respectful resolution that allows development to move forward without undermining heritage.
