Freedom Charter Gardens unveiled in Kliptown

24 June 2015

 

Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau on Tuesday 23 June unveiled the Freedom Charter Gardens in Kliptown – on the site where the Congress of the People adopted the Freedom Charter on 26 June 1955.

 

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the historic document, one of the key milestones in South Africa’s long and painful journey to freedom, democracy and justice.

More than 2 000 delegates representing a broad section of South Africans gathered on the sprawling and dusty ground in Kliptown on that day to adopt the document, watched closely by scores of apartheid police.

 

Three days before the commemoration of the historic day – Mayor Tau and members of his executive went on a walkabout in the area.

 

The Mayor also led a tour of the new RDP housing development in Klipspruit Extension 6, formerly known as Fred Clarke.

Members of the Mayoral Committee who were present at the ceremony were Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe (Infrastructure and Environmental Services), Clr Roslyn Greeff (Development Planning), Councillor Nonceba Molwele (Health and Social Development), Councillor Dan Bovu (Housing) and Councillor Sello Lemao (Public Safety).

 

The Freedom Charter Gardens form part of the Kliptown Development Projects that the City of Johannesburg has embarked on to change the face of Kliptown.

 

Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor Tau said the projects being unveiled proved that the City was not interested in “quick wins”, adding that it was in it for “the long haul”.

 

He said since the dawn of democracy in 1994, the ANC-led government had reclaimed Kliptown. He said in the past decade alone more than R802-million was invested in the redevelopment of the area.

 

Kliptown, he said, had been neglected by the apartheid government. He said the City and the Gauteng Provincial Government aimed at developing Kliptown as a strategic economic node through capital investment.

 

Mayor Tau announced that the City had completed a number of projects in Kliptown, including:

 The upgrading of the Union Road Pedestrian Bridge and installation of new ramps, enabling residents to cross the railway line safely;

 The provision of 600m of paving and lighting to create a safe pedestrian walkway along the western side of the railway line;

 The upgrading of Union Road,  Beacon Road, Main Road, 1st to 4th avenues, Klipspruit Valley Road and Northern Precinct;

 The installation of CCTV cameras around the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, repairing of the high mast lights, the installation of new cables at the visitors’ centre; and

 The refurbishment of the Kliptown Study Centre, crèche, community hall and youth centre. 

 

“This proves that we are succeeding in uplifting and improving our people’s living standards,” he said.

 

Johannesburg Development Agency CEO Thanduxolo Mendrew said the City’s infrastructure development entity had built 14 828 houses – including 11 178 RDP housing units – in and around Kliptown at a cost of more than R500-million.

 

MMC Greeff said further developments would take place over the next three years. She said the City was looking forward to a transformed Kliptown. She said this would be reflected in the public environmental upgrades, housing development, the R60-million Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, and the Freedom Charter Gardens.