Today, Monday, 20th September 2021, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Mayoral Candidate for the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Mpho Phalatse will be visiting the SOKO District in Rosebank.

‘SOKO’ is the Swahili word for market, and the district was recently opened to provide entrepreneurs hard-hit by Covid, a retail platform to showcase their products. First-time entrepreneurs seldom have start-up funding for the required three-month deposit, plus first month’s rent, capital for stock, staff, and shop fittings, Soko District tenants don’t have to pay a deposit. They pay only 20% of their turnover, plus electricity and water. Additionally, leases are flexible - tenants can sign agreements from three days to three years.

Cllr Phalatse will be meeting with the management of SOKO District as well as the retailers, so as to discuss their successes and better understand their challenges.

This innovative concept is reinventing the retail space and can become a blueprint for other such developments across the City which grow and foster entrepreneurship.

Members of the media are invited, and there will be an opportunity for interviews and photographs.

Details are as follows:

Date: Monday, 20th September 2021

Time: 11:30 am

Venue: Town Square in the Soko District at Rosebank Mall.