Half-a-century ago Nelson Mandela had to stay concealed during the event to avoid the police. Now, President Thabo Mbeki will lead his cabinet in the opening of the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, in celebration of the creation of the Freedom Charter in 1955.

The square is a swirl of scurrying workmen, delivery lorries, hard-hatted architects and clouds of dust as the rush is on to finish work by 26 June, the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Charter gathering.

Mbeki, Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa and Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Amos Masondo will open the square on that day. About 40 000 people are expected to attend the event.

A multi-purpose hall that overlooks the square, is receiving its final touches in preparation for 27 June, when cabinet ministers will gather for a sitting of parliament.

A dusty field in Kliptown was the venue for the historic two-day meeting in June 1955, at which the draft of the Freedom Charter was ratified by several thousand people from around the country.

It was signed a year later by Chief Albert Luthuli, then president of the ANC. That field, part of the new development, has been declared a national heritage site.

Aubrey Manganye, project manager for the Johannesburg Development Agency, says "it is going to be quite a challenge to finish on time". But project architect Pierre Swanepoel, of StudioMAS Architecture and Urban Design, is more relaxed. "Under the circumstances, we are doing fantastically well," he says.

Unskilled labour has been used in the construction work, as have about 90 small, medium and micro enterprises, more than half of which were created to help this project.

The R110-million project started in September 2003. However, the first phase, the construction of a 250-bay taxi rank, was completed before then. Now the construction of the north and south sides of two squares, one of which is the original square where people gathered to approve the charter, is at roof level.
The complex consists of two long, narrow buildings encompassing the squares, with 10 columns on the eastern edge, representing the 10 clauses of the Freedom Charter.

However, this is not just a construction project. Enormous effort has gone into relocating traders from Union Street, renovating their historic warehouses - in some cases they are more than 70 years old - and creating new functions for the buildings.

One of those warehouses belongs to Jada's, a hardware and building wholesaler that has been on the site for over 70 years. It is run by Rashid Jada, the fourth generation family member to run the business.

With his two brothers, he took over the shop from his father in 1972. His 23-year-old son joined the business in 2002, becoming the fifth generation to work in the family store. The building is to be renovated and will become a museum.

Takolias, also a building wholesaler, is run by Sam Takolia, and his son, the fourth generation in the family business, was recently brought into it. This shop, established 73 years ago, will also be restored and recent additions will be demolished.

Another wholesaler, Express Cash & Carry, has been relocated around the corner, with Jada's and Takolias, and the walls and roof of the building have been retained to be used for hawker stalls.

Along the south side of the complex, there will be space for 500 hawkers in small stalls. At present some of these hawkers are positioned along Union Road, which borders the square on the south, in makeshift stalls. This gives the road an untidy and crowded look.

The original design for the square, won by StudioMAS in June 2002, has been adjusted only marginally, says Swanepoel.

Between the two squares, on the northern end, is a tall tower, to be called the Freedom Charter Monument. Here, a freedom flame will be lit, providing a landmark beacon to surrounding suburbs.

Opposite this tower, in the middle of the southern building, another tower is rising into the air. The base of this tower will contain a kwashisanyama, a place for preparing food. These conical towers, says Swanepoel, are symbolic of African culture.

The north and south buildings will contain offices, banks, retail space, a tourism office, an art gallery and the community hall. The search is on to place a restaurant and boutique hotel in the buildings.

Work still needs to be done at the western end of the squares, where the railway station is. This was included in StudioMAS's original plan but will be done at a later date.

Beyond the square to the east is a golf course, possibly to be converted to mixed-use space in future. Shops along the southern side of Union Street also need to be spruced up but are now the subject of intensive public debate. There will be "restructuring without eviction", says Swanepoel.

He says the local, impoverished community has reacted positively to the changes. "They say it is long overdue and they are happy about the square, but they want to know about housing in the area."
The City and the province are committed to building 7 100 houses in the coming years - 5 700 RDP houses and 1 400 houses for rental. So far only four houses have been completed, and 1 195 stands have been given services, in preparation for building.

Housing is a complex issue in Kliptown, a town that dates back to 1903. The densely packed population of about 45 000 people needs to be systematically moved before houses can be built. In addition, electricity, water and sewage connections have to be installed.

The nearby wetlands and parks have been cleared and cleaned, employing about 50 people, with a view to employing another 170 people.

With the pressure on to finish the project within a month, has he become tired of it? "No," says Swanepoel. Rather the project "gets under your skin, especially as you know how much blood, sweat and tears you have given to it. I see it as many small projects."

The buildings will "become richer in time", he explains, "we have set the stage, provided the fabric, set up the carcass, now people will personalise it". He is particularly looking forward to coming back in the future, to see how each stall owner has developed and decorated his stall.

Johannesburg News Agency