A century-old tram depot in the heart of Pretoria has found a new life as a shopping mall, preserving a piece of the South African capital’s early public transport history while serving thousands of modern shoppers.

The Tramshed, located on what is now Francis Baard Street in Pretoria Central, was built in 1912 to store and service the city’s trams. Its construction came around the same period as the Union Buildings, another landmark that helped shape Pretoria’s identity in the early 20th century.

Today, shoppers visiting the Tramshed Mall will find supermarkets, pharmacies, clothing stores, banking services and a gym where electric trams once stood. Yet parts of the original structure remain visible, including its redbrick walls and metal roof.

That mix of old and new makes the Tramshed one of Pretoria’s more unusual commercial properties, linking the city’s tram era with its modern retail economy.

The forgotten transport system behind the Tramshed

Pretoria’s tram system began in 1897 under the Pretoria Tramway Company, initially using horse-drawn carriages. The service had 50 horses pulling eight trams between two operating stations before it was suspended during the Anglo-Boer War.

The city later moved toward electric transport. In 1910, the horse-drawn system was replaced by 14 electric trams, with routes reaching areas including the Pretoria Zoo, Sunnyside and Pretoria West. Routes were later extended from Church Street, the network’s main hub, toward the Union Buildings.

Pretoria’s municipality eventually operated the network and even placed advertisements on the trams to raise additional revenue. The capital was not the first South African city to introduce trams. Cape Town began operating tram services in 1863. Pretoria’s network continued for almost four decades, with the final tram journey taking place in 1939 between Church Square and Sunnyside.

Trolley buses eventually replaced the trams. They continued to use overhead electric lines but no longer needed tracks. The Tramshed is one of the few surviving reminders of that era, along with sections of the original tracks and a tram stop at Church Square.

From tram depot to shopping centre

The building has since been renovated to accommodate modern retail and commercial uses while retaining some of its original architectural character. The Tramshed now has about 12,800 square metres of lettable space and sits close to Pretoria’s major public transport hubs and roads. Its tenants include Pick n Pay, Dis-Chem and Virgin Active, alongside clothing and beauty retailers, a Capitec Bank branch and government offices.

Large windows and redesigned outdoor areas have been added as part of the modernisation, but the building’s redbrick exterior and metal roofing continue to reflect its industrial past. The property also became associated with Pretoria’s wider creative scene through Market at the Sheds, a monthly event featuring local food vendors, retailers, musicians, artists and makers.

The market was held through the end of 2025, although no market or public event has been held at the Tramshed since December that year. Market at the Sheds said it is now concentrating on private events, collaborations and opportunities to take its market concept to other locations.

The JSE-listed company behind the Tramshed

The Tramshed Mall is owned and operated by Emira Property Fund, a Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed real estate investment trust.

Emira has a portfolio of retail, office and residential properties in South Africa, including Ben Fleur Shopping Centre, Randridge Mall and Wonderpark Shopping Centre. The company also has property interests in the United States.

For Pretoria, however, the Tramshed represents more than another retail centre. Its continued use keeps one of the city’s surviving links to the tram network visible, even as the transport system that once occupied the building disappeared nearly 90 years ago.