THE EVOLUTION OF OUR LOGO
Construction of Waters Edge. FLTR Tafadzwa Ncube and Mariska Auret (Rabie), Hennie Davel, and Christoff Lottering (Contractor)
1998 - 2005
Chris Blackshaw and Colin Green at the completion of the MyCiTi station
Greg Jenkins and Miguel Rodrigues from Rabie with Louis Coetzee and Mogamat Abrahams from Big Ben Construction, Manhattan Square
The Diamond Devil Run was later revived as Tren Minero at the Fantasilandia park in Chile. The Cobra rollercoaster was also relocated and now operates as the Nokupo Air Coaster at Lost Island Theme Park in Iowa. The park was officially closed down in May 2018 and has since been transformed into Ratanga Park. 2024 marks twenty years of Rabie’s involvement in Century City. The company acquired the site in 2004, its first development being Island Club. Island Club was a very ambitious project for a very small team. The 445-unit development across the Grand Canal from Canal Walk was awarded the top residential development in South Africa for 2005 by the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA). Island Club attained further recognition at the Bentley Awards in London. The rest, as they say, is history. Over the past two decades, Rabie has transformed Century City into a sophisticated and smart mini city, attracting a cross-section of local and international investors, global corporates, residents, and visitors.
2006 - 2020
Development of Century City began in 1996 under Monex Development and has since been carried forward by the Rabie Property Group. The initial landmarks of the precinct were the Ratanga Junction theme park and Canal Walk shopping centre. When Canal Walk opened in October 2000, it held the distinction of being the largest shopping mall in both Africa and the Southern Hemisphere, boasting a lettable area of 141 000m². These developments laid the foundation for Century City as a premier mixed-use destination in Cape Town. Hyprop acquired Canal Walk from Nedbank in 2003 for R1.165bn, a pivotal deal driven by Marc Wainer and industry veteran Wolf Cesman, co-founders of property asset manager Madison. Recognising the mall’s tremendous turnaround potential, they immediately
restructured the management team, reduced expenses, and refined the tenant mix, while swiftly leasing the vacant spaces. Their strategic approach transformed Canal Walk, which now stands as one of South Africa’s most successful and sought-after shopping destinations, attracting both locals and tourists alike. In terms of return on investment, it was truly the deal of the decade. Ratanga Junction, which opened in December 1998, was once home to the iconic Cobra rollercoaster, the park’s biggest attraction. With its tropical island theme, reflected in the logo and various water rides, Ratanga Junction provided a unique experience for thrill-seekers. However, in 2014, a portion of the park was closed to make way for the Century City Square development, leading to the decommissioning of several popular rides, including the Diamond Devil Run and Crocodile Gorge.
From 2020
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