Note to Editors: Please find an English soundbite from Kingsol Chabalala MPL here
The historic Walter Sisulu Square remains in disrepair following four years of neglect by the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Provincial Government. This neglect has left the once vibrant and significant square in a state of ruin, depriving the community of economic opportunities and a valuable historical landmark.
Today, the DA conducted an oversight inspection at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, and we discovered that nothing has changed since our last visit as the facility remains vandalised and abandoned.
The R160 million facility is without water, electricity, and a fence. Metals in the facility have been stripped and stolen by criminals for copper, and some walls burned. The businesses that once operated in the stalls have been shut down, and the facility has become a haven for drug users.
See the photos here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
Adjacent to this facility is the once-booming Soweto Hotel, which now hardly receives guests due to the lack of ablution facilities and electricity in the area.
This facility, which previously housed important South African historical artefacts, a clinic, a post office, and a licensing department, is no longer operational and benefits residents.
It is unacceptable that, despite repeated calls to refurbish this heritage site and use it as a catalyst for unlocking economic opportunities, nothing has been done. Only a city and provincial government that fail to respect themselves would allow the heritage of our province to fall into the hands of criminals.
The Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR), Matome Chiloane, claims that his department is maintaining heritage sites yet, many of these sites are neglected, depriving people in our communities of opportunities for skills development and empowerment.
Walter Sisulu Square could be a major boost to the quality of life for Kliptown residents by attracting tourists and investors, thus generating employment opportunities. Therefore, the DA demands that MEC Chiloane urgently refurbish this facility and ensure it is fully operational.
The DA has submitted a petition to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) demanding that the MEC intervene to ensure this facility is revamped, fast-track the re-installation of electricity and water, and security by fencing this heritage site. We will also be tabling questions to MEC Chiloane in the GPL to determine how much is needed to refurbish Walter Sisulu Square, the timelines by when the refurbishment will commence and the completion date.
We cannot allow this important monument to decay while there is much to be gained from restoring it to its former glory.