Johannesburg - Every businessman knows the age-old adage: “To make money, you must spend money”.
This is exactly what Sun City is doing and they’re doing it to the tune of R295 million. Construction at Africa’s globally recognised resort kingdom has begun on the first phase of an exciting new expansion of Sun International’s Sun Vacation Club (SVC).
The master plan includes the expansion of the Sun Vacation Club which will see the addition of 58 luxury villas. Dubbed Lefika (Setswana word for stone) Villas, this phase includes 48 three-bedroom villas, 10 four-bedroom villas, as well as a recreational area with a resort pool, family restaurant and kid’s play area.
Lefika Villas will be able to accommodate up to 400 additional guests. Sun International’s CEO Anthony Leeming said the development represents the group’s first significant expansion at Sun City since 2004, when it developed The Aviary, the second accommodation offering introduced at the Sun Vacation Club.
“We are experiencing significant demand for Sun Vacation Club accommodation at Sun City and this expansion will help satisfy this demand. We are confident that this development will achieve above market returns. Sun City remains perennially popular and post Covid we have seen an increase in demand from leisure, conference and sporting guests. We have invested significantly in the property and the resort is in great condition,” he said.
The name pays homage to the adjacent stone-walled Itlholanoga heritage site – the real “lost city” of the greater Sun City resort. The settlement is located on the northern face of the hill overlooking the entire valley and is a reminder of the proud Setswana heritage.
The site is rated as a level five for historic significance and is a designated provincial heritage site. Sun International has enlisted the assistance of leading archaeological and heritage experts, including Wits Archaeology Professor Mandy Esterhuyzen, who is also the Director of the Origins Centre at Wits. Professor Esterhuysen will assist with the management and preservation of this and surrounding historical heritage sites.
The addition of the Lefika Villas will increase the Sun Vacation Club at Sun City to 478 units. As part of the development, there will be significant inclusion of surrounding communities in upliftment and skills transfer projects, with a stipulated 30% build value to be allocated to local contractors.
Sun City Resort general manager, Brett Hoppe said this strong emphasis on sharing knowledge and skills will assist community contractors who may not have the requisite experience to gain skills and experience as part of their project contribution.
“This will stand them in good stead to take on projects in the future. We are always mindful that many of our doorstop communities are dependent on Sun City for employment and for the enterprise development opportunities we provide for them.
“Lefika Villas will enable us to have an even greater impact on the region through jobs that are created during the construction phase and operationally when the Villas open at the end of 2023,” Hoppe said.
Leeming added that other equally exciting upgrades are under way and are being planned for Sun City. The most immediate of these is a complete R208 million refresh of The Palace of The Lost City, which will be completed in November when the hotel celebrates its 30th birthday and will now have its own spa and gym. The exclusive Salon Privé in the famous Sun City Hotel was given a complete makeover. Sun International has also begun its expansion of the GrandWest Hotel in Cape Town to increase the capacity to 103 rooms.
“The current 39-room hotel runs at a 99% occupancy, so this is a long overdue project,” said Leeming.
The Sun City resort in the North West Province is world famous for its hotels, golf courses, casino and wide choice of leisure and entertainment facilities. The resort is as popular today as it was when it first opened in December 1979 and it remains the flagship for the premium Sun International hospitality and gaming group.
Accommodation includes the iconic 327-room Palace of The Lost City Hotel, the 241-room 5-star Cascades hotel, the 380-room Cabanas and the Bush Bungalows with 14 chalets. The 340-room 4-star Sun City hotel is the first choice for people who enjoy the casino and other nightlife activities,while the Sun Vacation Club is now a leading timeshare model in the country.
Architect firm, Boogertman and Partners said the use of stone cladding, which will be harvested from the site, was inspired by the stone walls of the ruins on the adjacent heritage site. Rather than mimicking their curved formations, the architects reinterpreted them in a contemporary design with its roots in 20th century regional modernism.
The materiality and colour palette, and even some of the curved motifs used in the interior design reference the landscape, fauna and flora, as well as the architectural patterns discovered on the heritage site.
The planning of the development and positioning of the individual units carefully considers the views from each villa, privacy and environmental impact. Special care has been taken to preserve established trees on site and cause minimal disturbance. Landscape and architecture have been carefully integrated so that the villas will appear integrated with the natural landscape.