Joe Thomas confirmed as international headliner for Ndlala Mall grand opening

The highly anticipated NDLALA Mall Grand Opening just got even bigger — and smoother. R&B legend Joe Thomaswill headline the Friday night celebrations on 22 August 2025, with fellow hitmaker Donell Jones closing the festivities on Saturday.

For fans of timeless R&B, this is a dream come true. Joseph Lewis Thomas, better known simply as Joe, has been delivering soulful hits for over three decades. From his 1993 debut Everything to his chart-topping classic My Name Is Joe, he has built a legacy of unforgettable music. His catalogue includes the No. 1 hit “Stutter”, top 10 favourites like “All the Things Your Man Won’t Do”, “Don’t Wanna Be a Player”, and the beloved “I Wanna Know”. He’s also behind the duets fans still sing along to — “Faded Pictures” and the Mariah Carey collaboration “Thank God I Found You”, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“South Africa, I have a surprise for you — I’m staying,” Joe announced after performing at another event over the weekend. “I’m here to support my friend Thami Ndlala and be part of this incredible celebration.”

Thami Ndlala, CEO of NDLALA Mall, says adding Joe to the line-up was part of keeping a promise to the people:

“This event was always about giving our audience the choice to enjoy their favourites. Now they get two nights, two legends, and one unforgettable grand opening.”

Located in Arcadia, Pretoria, NDLALA Mall is the vision of Thami Ndlala — a self-made billionaire entrepreneur and founder of Ndlalayesizwe Real Estate. The mall is part of a world-class mixed-use development alongside the Ndlala Oligarch Hotel and Apartments.

The expanded two-day grand opening will not only mark a new chapter in Pretoria’s retail and lifestyle scene but also give music lovers a rare chance to experience two of R&B’s finest voices live on back-to-back nights.

Tickets available now at: ndlalaarena.co.za/events