Delays in fixing the vandalised Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, deprive thousands of residents of business and employment opportunities.
Since Walter Sisulu Square was vandalised during the July 2021 unrest, there have been no plans to revive this heritage site.
Today, the DA conducted an oversight inspection at Walter Sisulu Square, and we discovered that the facility had been vandalised and abandoned.
See photos here, here, here and here
The building materials have been stripped and stolen by criminals. The business stalls have been shut down, and the facility has become a haven for drug users and criminal activities.
This facility, which contains important South African history, a clinic, a post office, and a licensing department, is no longer functional.
The DA commends some community members who have dedicated their time and volunteered to protect and safeguard what remains of this facility. However, they cannot do it alone; they need the urgent intervention of the Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture, and Recreation, Morakane Mosupyoe, to refurbish the facility.
Walter Sisulu Square has a huge opportunity to uplift the lives of Kliptown residents by attracting tourists and investors, which will contribute to job creation. Therefore, the DA demands that the MEC urgently refurbish this facility and ensure it is fully functional.
The DA also demands that the MEC intervene and fast-track the re-installation of electricity and water at the Soweto Hotel.
We have also tabled questions to MEC Mosupyoe in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to determine how much is needed to refurbish Walter Sisulu Square and the timelines by when the refurbishment will commence and the completion date.