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GEORGE NEWS - Storm-force winds caused widespread disruption across George today, Monday 11 May, forcing several shopping centres to close their doors after sustaining weather-related damage.
Garden Route Mall started evacuating shoppers and staff from around 11:00 before officially closing at about 12:00. Staff members were sent home after several roof sheets were blown off, signage was damaged, and one of the mall entrances was deemed unsafe.
According to mall manager Rion Olivier, the decision to close was taken as a precaution amid worsening weather conditions.
“A few roof sheets were blown off, signage was damaged, and one of the entrances to the mall was no longer safe. That is why we decided to close the centre,” said Olivier.
In an official media statement, Garden Route Mall confirmed that the closure was prompted by severe weather warnings and forecasts predicting even stronger gusts between 13:00 and 14:00.
“The safety and wellbeing of our tenants, employees, service providers, and shoppers remain our highest priority,” the statement read. Management and on-site security teams coordinated the evacuation process while closely monitoring conditions alongside Eden Disaster Management.
The mall urged members of the public to avoid the area until further notice and to follow instructions issued by management and emergency personnel.
Management indicated that the closure was precautionary and that the mall is expected to reopen for trade tomorrow, except for one or two stores that experienced roof damage.
Eden Meander also closed its doors after being hit by storm damage. Manager Andries Breytenbach confirmed that the centre would remain closed until conditions improve.
“We will conduct a risk assessment as soon as the wind starts to calm down, and then we will decide how to move forward,” said Breytenbach.
At Outeniqua Lifestyle Centre, all stores except Outeniqua Superspar closed due to the severe weather conditions. Floor manager at Outeniqua Superspar, Carel Kgowa, said management would reassess the situation later in the afternoon before deciding how long the store would remain open.
Kgowa said several shops in the centre lost sections of roofing, although the damage was not believed to be severe.
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