Retraction, correction and apology: Masingita Group of Companies

On 14 October 2026 The Citizen published an article headlined “Masingita Group of Companies faces questions over seven-day approval for Malamulele Mall land”. The headline and article implied that the Masingita Group of Companies may have obtained land-use rights for the former Malamulele High School site through an irregular, preferential or procedurally improper process. The Citizen did not have documentary evidence supporting that implication and retracts it. Because it forms a substantial basis of the article, The Citizen retracts the article in its entirety. The Citizen also corrects the following: Seven-day approval: The article stated that Masingita obtained business rights seven days after acquiring the property. Masingita states that the property was transferred to it on 2 December 2025, after the business rights were granted. Legal proceedings: The article stated that the dispute was understood to remain before the courts. Yinhla Property Development (Pty) Ltd’s High Court application to stop Masingita’s development (Case No. 355/2026) was struck from the roll on 10 March 2026, with costs. Masingita states that Yinhla’s later appeal to the Municipal Appeal Tribunal was dismissed on 7 July 2026. Competing business rights: Masingita states that it is not aware of any competing business rights in Malamulele that are subject to judicial review. Masingita has also highlighted relevant background after having been given limited time to respond before publication of the herewith retracted article. According to the Company, its offer for the site was selected through a process begun in 2005 by the Malamulele High School Governing Body and the Limpopo Department of Education to relocate the school out of the Malamulele CBD. It states that public participation involving the local councils and municipalities, the Departments of Education and Public Works, the school and the community supported relocating the school and converting the site to business use. The Citizen apologises to the Masingita Group of Companies and to its readers for publishing the article without independently verifying its allegations.