By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA – Opposition to the Free State Development Corporation’s (FDC) controversial plan to convert vacant office space at Naledi Mall into student accommodation is growing, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) accusing the agency of abandoning its core mandate of driving economic development and job creation.
The DA in Thabo Mofutsanyana says the proposal will do little to stimulate the local economy and instead place the FDC in direct competition with existing student accommodation providers.
DA former MPL Leona Kleynhans said it remains unclear how converting office space into student housing would advance economic development in QwaQwa, arguing that providing accommodation for students falls outside the FDC’s mandate.
“The announcement is an admission of failure by the FDC to fulfil its responsibility of promoting local economic development,” Kleynhans said.
She said a recent DA oversight inspection painted a bleak picture of the once-promising Naledi Mall complex.
“The vast complex, comprising about 30 retail outlets and 150 office spaces, is filthy, derelict and virtually abandoned, with no visible security.
While some retail shops remain occupied, most smaller outlets are locked and deserted. Of the 150 office spaces, only about 50 are reportedly occupied, with the rest vandalised and falling into disrepair,” she said.
According to Kleynhans, the neglected complex could have been transformed into a thriving business and innovation hub if it had been properly maintained and managed.
“Instead, it has become a derelict white elephant in a prime location, symbolising government’s failure to create jobs and provide opportunities for entrepreneurship and economic growth,” she said.
She further claimed the situation at Naledi Mall reflects a broader pattern of neglect, pointing to several abandoned factories across QwaQwa’s three industrial areas as further evidence of the FDC’s failure to drive industrial and economic development.
Kleynhans argued that with the nearby University of the Free State QwaQwa Campus producing graduates every year, the region urgently needs employment opportunities rather than more student accommodation.
“QwaQwa is fortunate to have a university campus on its doorstep. Graduates need jobs, not more accommodation.
The FDC should be incubating new businesses and supporting young professionals to launch their careers, not shifting away from its economic development mandate,” she said.
The DA’s criticism follows similar objections raised by other stakeholders, adding pressure on the FDC to justify its controversial proposal for the Naledi Mall offices.
