“Start Getting Your Facts Straight”: A British Tourist Stunned by Canal Walk Gets Corrected by SA

• A British tourist's visit to a Cape Town mall leaves her impressed by all the features, including one specific one
• Locals commented, stepping in to challenge a bold claim the influencer makes about South Africa’s retail giants
• Canal Walk is rated among the top South African malls, and its features make it a local attraction

A British influencer recently visited Canal Walk mall and couldn't hold back how impressed she was by it. SA corrected her, though, as she spoke about the mall.

Issey Moloney posted a TikTok on 21 May 2026 as she documented exploring the food court, arcade, and entertainment areas. She highlighted the variety of activities available, including games, themed rides, bubble tea spots, and multiple fast-food options, expressing surprise at how much the mall had to offer in one space. But people quickly corrected her after she referred to Canal Walk as the biggest in South Africa.

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"Come with me to the biggest mall in South Africa....Guys, look at how crazy this is.... They literally have everything here."

Canal Walk ranks fifth among South Africa’s largest malls

According to a report by BusinessTech, South Africa’s largest malls are led by Fourways Mall, followed closely by Menlyn Park Shopping Centre (177,000 sqm) and Gateway Theatre of Shopping (176,400 sqm). Sandton City ranks fourth at 147,941 sqm, with Canal Walk in fifth place at 147,834 sqm.

Canal Walk is followed by Eastgate, Centurion Mall, Mall of Africa, Pavilion Mall, and Cresta Shopping Centre, placing it in the national top five.

Canal Walk is one of South Africa’s major shopping destinations, located in Century City, Cape Town. The mall features hundreds of stores across fashion, technology, lifestyle, and homeware categories, alongside cinemas and leisure spaces. Its canal-inspired design and extensive layout have made it a notable retail hub in the Western Cape, and an attraction to both locals and tourists.

View TikTok video below:

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SA clashes over mall comparisons

The ranking debate intensified online as users compared regional experiences and challenged the influencer’s claim. This is what Mzansi had to say on her TikTok page:

ironman345653 had it:

"Canal Walk is the number 5 biggest in SA. Fourways, Menlyn, Gateway, and Sandton City are the top 4."

KEZA-BOYZ said:

"Cape Town is not South Africa 🇿🇦, there are many other places before you can say you've experienced SA🇿🇦."

Bonbudchlo3muskateers said:

"Please start getting your facts straight!"

Money magnet 🧲 stated:

"That’s not big 😒"

Jade🐎🧚‍♀️ exclaimed:

"Biggest mall in South Africa? stop the thirst and hype game... "South African to Britain", it's not the biggest mall, babe..."

scotty2hottie added:

"That Asian shop is my go-to."

More Briefly News Stories on Canal Walk

• A viral video shows Cape Town call centre staff from Bourne Global impressing US rapper Chris Brown with a lively workplace jam session to his hit song, prompting him to praise the environment as “the best workspace environment.”
• Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has arrived in Cape Town ahead of the Cape Town Marathon, where he is set to take part as organisers aim to elevate the race to major marathon status.
• A Cape Town mom went viral after revealing her R100,000 monthly spending habits in an Instagram clip, sparking debate about budgeting and lifestyle costs in South Africa.

Source: Briefly News