Vandalised Sisulu Square to get facelift after neglect

Freedom Charter Memorial stone, hotel all that remains from wrecked R163m project

Koena Mashale Journalist
The Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, is one of government's projects intended to benefit from the second Soweto Investment Conference.
The Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, is one of government's projects intended to benefit from the second Soweto Investment Conference.
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE

After years of neglect and rampant vandalism, the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, Soweto, is finally set for a major refurbishment, as the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) finalises the appointment of a contractor. 

The square, valued at over R163m, has deteriorated over the years and the Freedom Charter Memorial stone and hotel are the only ones still standing.

The square was established to honour ANC veteran Walter Sisulu and was declared a national heritage site by former president Thabo Mbeki in 2005.

However, the museum has been closed. The underground car park floods when it rains. Large sections of the roof have collapsed, lights are broken, and the paving stones have been dug up and stolen. 

The metalwork and infrastructure of the square have been ripped apart and sold for scrap.

The facility features an open-air museum detailing how the Freedom Charter, officially adopted on Sunday June 26, 1955, that was drafted by South African political and civic leaders from all walks of life and races.

Residents have reported that the facility was under attack by criminals, and that there had been no security at the museum for years. 

Kliptown community leader, Nhlanhla Tsotetsi, 47, said they have appointed themselves as security guards as no one else has.

They vandalised this place during the unrest when the JMPD [Johannesburg Metro Police Department] were here (on site) but nothing was done. They did it right in front of their faces.

.“At some point, there was a fire two years back when we were patrolling at night but no one came out and we as the community had to put it out ourselves,” he said.

"This place has been like this since the unrest... There were shops and restaurants here but they all left after the unrest. Everyone was scared for their safety and businesses, even the post office and the ANC office that was here closed down. The only thing here is the licence department but it's barely even functioning.”

Tsotetsi said the square was once a buzzing place filled with tourists and a place where events were constantly hosted. “The conference hall here has been ripped apart, doors, [the] roof, windows, everything is gone. This hall was used by celebrities,  Channel O awards and even the ANC sometimes used it for its conferences but now we are constantly chasing away criminals who climb the roof to steal metal. At some point, there was one who fell from [the roof] when we caught him,” he said.

An entertainer at the square, Zenande Marcus, 32, said it has become quite rare to get a bus of tourists visiting the square. These grounds were once filled and buzzing.

"Dancing and singing for people was easy because every day you knew there were people coming. You didn't have to worry about there not being traction but now you need to think about where food is going to come if tourists don't come in numbers," said Marcus.

"Dancing and singing for people was easy because every day you knew there were people coming. You didn't have to worry about there not being traction but now you need to think about where food is going to come if tourists don't come in numbers,"
Marcus

JPC spokesperson Lucky Sindane said while they were responsible for managing all properties belonging to the city, they were not to blame for the state in which the site is in. 

“It is JMPD’s responsibility to guard all the city’s facilities,” he said. 

JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said because of the ongoing renovations, the contract now includes its own security provisions.

The JMPD is aware, and all incidents were reported to Kliptown SA Police Service (SAPS) at the time when security was deployed,” he said.

“The JMPD Security Services have conducted a physical assessment and made recommendations to JPC for the installation of CCTV, an alarm system, a perimeter fence, ablution facilities and the restoration of water and electricity.” . 

Fihla said the procurement to deploy specialised security officers was in progress.The long-term plans encompass the deployment of specialised security officers and the establishment of security infrastructure, which includes CCTV, an alarm system, a perimeter fence, ablution facilities and the restoration of water and electricity,” he said. 

“A security committee will be established, comprising representatives from JMPD, SAPS, JPC, other local security providers and all stakeholders within Walter Sisulu Square.”  

Sindane said with the tender out, they were finalising the process to appoint the contractor.

He said they couldn't say how much it will cost to revamp as that was still being finalised. Sindane also said  the procurement of services was a confidential process and hence they can't disclose the budget to be spent.

“It is going to be funded through the city’s budget allocation monies, and the total budget is a supply chain management confidentiality issue given that appointments are done through the tender process,” he said. 

“Due to budgetary constraints, there will be two phases to the project, with the first phase starting in this financial year followed by the next phase. Both security installations and wastewater management projects are to start in the current financial year.”  

Sindane said the refurbishment plans would also focus on waste management and electrical power supply,  stormwater/wastewater management through the installation of the stormwater drainage system to avoid flooding in the basement parking lot and electrical power supply restoration by City Power, erection of security retainer walls with gates to restrict random access.

He said JMPD security will  upgrade their operations, there will be installation of CCTV cameras that will be managed and responded to at a central place and controlled as well as monitored access.. 

Fihla said they would assign security officers; SAPS and JMPD to conduct regular patrols at the site.

“The CCTV cameras will be monitored at the Integrated Intelligence Operations Centre to ensure that the square remains a safe and welcoming environment for both visitors and residents,” he said.


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