Amazon has finalized plans to open African headquarters in South Africa.
- The R4.5 billion River Club Development in Cape Town has been given the go-ahead.
- This approval follows years of objections lodged by environmental activists and heritage protection organisations.
- The development will feature offices, retailers, restaurants, and apartments, with Amazon listed as the “anchor tenant”.
Reports from Cape Town, South Africa indicates Amazon would be occupying a new development in River Club, a prime section of the city.
The 15-hectare parcel of land will cost R4 billion and include two precincts. Authorities said the first precinct of 60,000sqm would occupy different layers of development, while the second section of 70,000 will hold Amazon headquarters in Africa.
“US retail giant, Amazon, will be the anchor tenant, opening a base of operations on the African continent,” Cape Town city officials said in a statement. “The development is envisaged to take place in phases, with construction set to take place over three to five years.”
Over 5,000 direct construction jobs and 19,000 indirect jobs are expected to be created due to the move, Business Tech reported.
Amazon has had its web engineering giant AWS in South Africa for years, but its main e-commerce services have not been available anywhere on the continent.
The announcement comes a week after Twitter picked Ghana for its first African office and headquarters. Twitter said Ghana’s democratic and economic strides made the West African country a highly competitive destination over Nigeria and other African countries.
Cape Town is a popular tourist destination due to its mild climate, geographical beauty and diverse beaches. The second most populous city in South Africa, located on the shore of Table Bay and is famous for its beautiful harbour.
