Waterfall City is introducing a new world-class conference centre and hotel — a R750 million development by Attacq Limited and Rabie Property Group, with African Rain Collection selected to operate it.
Attacq Limited and Rabie Property Group — through African Rain Collection — are preparing to break ground on a R750 million conference centre and hotel in Waterfall City a fast-growing mixed-use urban development in Gauteng.
Scheduled to open in Q1 2028, this new commercial anchor will combine a 1,350-delegate conference venue with a 180-room hotel, including long-stay apartments, in what is being positioned as a significant new hospitality and conferencing hub for Waterfall City.
It was intriguing to learn that two of South Africa’s leading industry players, based at opposite ends of the country, were collaborating on the development. Asset sat down with Attacq CEO Jackie van Niekerk and CEO of African Rain Collection Gary Koetser to find out more.
The project has been years in the making, says Jackie. “In 2018 Gary came to see us in Waterfall City with the idea of replicating the success of Century City Conference Centre and Hotels in Cape Town, a model which he had spearheaded. Together we looked at every possible site in Waterfall City. It had to be the right time, and the right site, and we weren’t there yet. Post-Covid, we realised that Midrand – and specifically Waterfall City – was ready for a development like this.”
For Gary, timing and location were inseparable. “We learned many lessons from the pandemic, and by the time we revisited our discussions with Attacq, our concept was stronger and better. More than anything we needed to find a site with enough level ground for back-of-house functions. Conference venues require highly practical infrastructure behind the scenes, such as exhibition loading and service areas.”
The breakthrough came with a site linked to the Mall of Africa’s existing parking infrastructure. “What was key for uswas finding a site that made operational sense and connected naturally into the precinct. By clipping on to the mall’s parking, conference-goers will be able to move between the conference centre and mall without even crossing a road. With plentiful parking and access to the mall’s dining offerings, we realised the site was superbly positioned for our development to integrate with and leverage off its holistic context.”
For Attacq, a strategic development partner in Waterfall City whose broader investment thesis is tied to the precinct’s long-term performance, the development is about more than a stand-alone asset. The project’s integration into the wider Waterfall City ecosystem is key, as it is expected to generate economic activity, enhance footfall and reinforce the precinct’s growth as a destination for business, leisure and mixed-use living.
“Waterfall City has evolved into a fully integrated ecosystem where business, retail, healthcare, residential and lifestyle experiences coexist,” says Jackie. “A purpose-built conference centre and hotel strengthen the precinct’s ability to host major business events and enhance its appeal for both local and international visitors.”
“There is nothing comparable in Gautengand African Rain Collection offers quality and scale. It’s a winning combination. As their strategic and development partner, Attacq is invested in their success.”
“African Rain Collection has signed a ten-year lease with Attacq and Rabie to run and operate the 180-room Waterfall City Hotel and Conference Centre,” Gary tells Asset. “The hotel will offer apartments for longer stays as well as luxury suites. We have strong confidence in Waterfall City. We’ve observed its growth closely over the years; and how more and more corporates are establishing themselves in Waterfall City. We believe it’s a very good fit for our hotel and conference centre model. The 10 years that we’ve operated in Century City have taught us, the value of a compelling location and we know how much we can contribute to a location like Waterfall City.”
He is frank about the financial and operational realities of conference centres as assets. Demand can be volatile, margins can be pressured, and external shocks can have an outsized impact on performance.
“It’s a highly sensitive sector when you consider factors such as health scares, fuel shortages, or geopolitical instability. A conference centre is purpose-built with a high, fixed operating cost base that continues regardless of market conditions. Hotels, however, can be far more agile in volatile times. They can adjust operating modelsand pricing strategiesto respond more dynamically to shifts in demand.”
Jackie and Gary are confident that the Waterfall City Conference Centre will attract more than 1,500 delegates on any given day. While the strength and calibre of corporates establishing themselves in Waterfall City provides a strong foundation, the vision extends far beyond servicing only the immediate precinct.
The development has been designed to attract both local and international conferences, exhibitions and business events, supported by a product offering which will complement the existing Waterfall City infrastructure and amenities. This strengthens Waterfall City Conference Centre’s appeal as a leading business events destination.
African Rain Collection has been listening attentively to its corporate clients and shaping its Waterfall City Hotel offering to their needs, and to a Gauteng environment. While Century City lies in the heart of a city renowned worldwide as a tourist destination, Gauteng is very different.
“We understand that today’s business traveller expects far more than simply a place to stay,” says Gary. “The modern conferencing and hospitality experience must support both performance and wellbeing. Amenities such as gyms, spas, wellness facilities and swimming pools are no longer considered luxuries, but essential components of a premium destination, particularly for guests travelling long distances or spending full days in meetings.”
“The detail matters. These types of operational insights influence how we design and configure the product from the outset. At the same time, the broader Waterfall City environment plays an important role. The precinct already offers a strong mix of lifestyle, retail, dining and wellness amenities, which complements what we are building and strengthens the overall appeal for both local and international delegates.”
For weekends, when corporate demand eases, innovative strategies to attract residents from surrounding suburbs are on the table. Marketing will focus on combining shopping, movies, spa treatments and leisure-time in an environment designed for a five-star experience. The hotel will take advantage of its position on top of the conference centre, to boast a 500m² deck offering spectacular views. Serviced by a top restaurant and bar operator it will offer entertainment as well as open-air movie nights. “We’re investing in making this a special space for both corporate guests, visitors to Johannesburg and locals looking to treat themselves to a hotel stay.”
The decision to establish African Rain Collection is underpinned by the outstanding reputation the Century City Conference Centre and Hotels have earned. Over the past five years it has steadily explored expanding its footprint in hospitality and has been quietly building a skilled team to back its vision of expansion. The new brand now steps front and centre as it prepares to open Waterfall City Conference Centre and Hotel in 2028.
“The launch of African Rain Collection is a progression of what we have been building over the past decade, and represents an intentional shift from operating a single destination to managing a broader hospitality portfolio shaped by long-term thinking and disciplined execution,” Gary elaborates. However, our ambition is not centred on growth for growth’s sake, we are focused on opportunities where we believe we can add meaningful value, operate at a high standard, and build something commercially sustainable over the long term.”
The same team which has spent the past decade building the Century City Conference Centre and Hotels into a recognised hospitality operation in Cape Town will now act as the mechanism through which that experience is scaled. At Waterfall City, that means transferring operational systems, service culture and guest-experience expertise developed in Cape Town into a new market.
The expansion into Gauteng is expected to have material employment and skills impact. The operating team plans to transfer selected experienced staff to Johannesburg while recruiting hundreds of new employees locally, with training supported by the Cape Town operation. “In hospitality, long-term success is built on consistency right down to the smallest details, from logistics to service delivery. Excellence is the accumulation of thousands of decisions, interactions and standards maintained over time,” Gary says.
With architect Luke Chandler appointed and a main contractor under discussion, ground could be broken as early as July. A significant number of conference enquiries have already been received from both existing and new clients as word of the project has spread who are excited at the prospect of being able to hold large conferences in Johannesburg in an environment like Waterfall City.“.
For Attacq, the significance of this project clearly extends beyond room inventory and event space. Well-run hotels and conference centres can act as economic engines for precincts, generating demand for restaurants, retail, transport and adjacent accommodation. That multiplier effect helps explain why developers are prepared to back projects that may not always behave like conventional real estate assets. “This R750 million development with Rabie reflects how we continue to unlock long-term value within the Waterfall City precinct, through strategic capital allocation and strong partnerships,” says Jackie.
The name African Rain Collection draws on one of nature’s most powerful forces – rain – which brings life, renewal and growth. The Collection reflects a belief in building hospitality businesses with care, discipline, and integrity, designed to grow stronger over time. African Rain Collection’s entry into Gauteng marks a significant new phase of growth for a world-class Waterfall City— the latest in Attacq’s continued unlocking of long-term value across the precinct through strategic capital allocation and strong partnerships.
