By Tumelo Modisane, tel (012) 314 2404

Pretoria - The refurbishment of The Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, formerly known as Freedom Square, in Kliptown, Johannesburg is well underway.

"Everything is on track," says Charles Phahlane Director of Strategy and Media Liaison in the Office of the Premier - Gauteng Province, "We expect everything to be in place by June 24."

The Walter Sisulu Square marks the historic site of the Congress of the People, which adopted the Freedom Charter on June 26, 1955.

The refurbishment forms part of the Kliptown Urban Renewal Project, a Gauteng Government and City of Johannesburg initiative to improve the lives of the people in the area.

Gauteng Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture MEC Barbara Creecy, will host Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad and Minister of Arts and Culture Dr Pallo Jordan on a site visit on Saturday June 4. 

The ministers will receive a first hand account of the progress being made on Square of Dedication as well as on preparations for the celebrations of the Freedom Charter Anniversary.

The opening of the Square of Dedication will take place on June 26th, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Charter.

Kliptown was established in 1903 and is the oldest suburb in Soweto, Johannesburg's largest black township, some 25 km south-west of the city centre.

It was one of the first townships, along with Sophiatown and Alexandra, in which blacks could own property.

Kliptown became famous in 1955 when thousands of delegates from the Congress of the People - a coalition of anti-apartheid organizations- converged on the square to agree on a draft Freedom Charter, drawn up from contributions from around the country after people were invited to submit their ideas for a new constitution for South Africa.

The final draft was read out to congregated delegates in a two-day meeting.

In 1997 the square was declared a national monument. At the unveiling of the winner's design in June 2002 in Kliptown, the square's name was changed to The Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in honour of the former ANC leader.- BuaNews