Gauteng dominates the list of South Africa’s worst-rated shopping malls, with eight of the 10 lowest-rated centres in the country located in the province.
The finding comes from a new ranking by SEO Backlinks, which analysed more than 3.2 million Google reviews covering 678 shopping centres across South Africa.
The research found that Tshwane Shopping Mall in Derdepoort, Pretoria, was the lowest-rated shopping centre in the country, with an average rating of just 2.83 stars from 2 133 reviews.
Gauteng dominates the bottom 10
Gauteng accounts for eight of the 10 centres at the bottom of the national ranking.
| Rank | Shopping centre | Location | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tshwane Shopping Mall | Derdepoort, Pretoria, Gauteng | 2.83 |
| 2 | China Gate | Kempton Park, Gauteng | 3.45 |
| 3 | Jakaranda Centre | Rietfontein, Pretoria, Gauteng | 3.47 |
| 4 | Morula Shopping Complex | Mabopane, Gauteng | 3.52 |
| 5 | Lesedi City Shopping Centre | Vosloorus, Gauteng | 3.55 |
| 6 | Home Africa Mall | Fordsburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng | 3.56 |
| 7 | Kriel Mall | Kriel, Mpumalanga | 3.58 |
| 8 | Naledi Mall | Vosloorus, Gauteng | 3.58 |
| 9 | Cleary Park Shopping Centre | Gqeberha | 3.59 |
| 10 | Batho Plaza | Soshanguve, Gauteng | 3.59 |
The research suggests that complaints about the lowest-rated malls often extend beyond the shops themselves.
Reviewers mentioned issues including empty shopfronts, dirty toilets and centres that appeared to have declined over time, with some describing malls as resembling ghost towns.
SEO Backlinks founder Oliver Weston said the ratings showed that shoppers tend to value factors such as easy parking, a good mix of shops and restaurants, cleanliness and well-maintained spaces.
Gauteng also has some of the best
The province’s poor showing at the bottom of the ranking does not mean all of its malls are unpopular.
In fact, Gauteng also performed strongly at the other end of the table.
Six of South Africa’s 10 highest-rated shopping centres are in Gauteng, including Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, The Neighbourhood Square in Linksfield, Loftus Park and Castle Gate in Pretoria, and Polofields Crossing in Waterfall.
Melrose Arch was the country’s second-highest-rated centre, with an average of 4.66 stars, while Nelson Mandela Square was third at 4.63.
How the ranking was calculated
The study initially collected Google Maps listings for shopping centres around the country before excluding closed centres, markets, single shops, office parks and duplicate listings.
Only centres with at least 1 000 Google reviews were included in the final ranking, leaving 678 shopping centres and 3 274,335 reviews.
Rather than relying on Google’s rounded star ratings, the researchers calculated the exact average using the number of one- to five-star reviews received by each centre.
The ranking provides a snapshot of how shoppers rate the country’s malls based on their experiences, although a Google rating does not necessarily reflect the performance of individual stores within a shopping centre.