South Africa, Dec. 1 -- Far from being discretionary or "nice-to-have" shopping destinations, these centres serve as essential retail hubs for millions of South Africans who shop close to home, commute through connected commuter nodes, and make frequent visits that sustain local economies.

Retail accounts for nearly 20% of South Africa's GDP, supported by more than 2,000 malls and 23 million square metres of retail space. Gauteng alone is home to 600 of them.

Across South Africa's main and mid-market malls, the data shows us that shoppers move in highly reliable patterns.

This concentration of movement is why Provantage has built its largest portfolio within the mid-market mall category. Its Mall Ads division is embedded in these high-...