The Greater Kliptown Regeneration Development is a major urban regeneration initiative in a commercially important and historically significant area of Soweto. The Greater Kliptown Regeneration Development addresses the re-development of Kliptown, with the anchor project being the development of the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication (WSSD).

The WSSD has created a major local, national and international heritage and tourism attraction, contributing to Johannesburg's overall tourism strategy  with the potential to change Soweto into a city.’ The vision for the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication is to celebrate and commemorate the birth of a democratic South Africa by embodying the ideals and principles of the Freedom Charter. In order to achieve this vision, a design philosophy consisting of 9 key principles, representative of the 9 provinces in South Africa,  was established. These are ecology, accessibility, vitality, legibility, robustness, identity, history, symbolism and equity - and reflect all public sector efforts at integrated city-making.

Strategic Objectives

The development of WSSD, funded by Blue IQ, has turned Kliptown into a heritage site and a premier tourist destination in the city, while improving the quality of life of the local community, and turning the area into a thriving residential and commercial node.

The urban design idea was to integrate Kliptown’s town centre as a distinct node into its surrounding areas - and to thus grow city functionality.

Specific objectives include:

• Maximising the recreational public open space system along the Klipspruit (river)
• Maximising economic growth and empowerment
• Maximising the heritage, tourism and educational significance and importance of Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication
• Creating an integrated, safe, secure and efficient transport system
• Creating sustainable neighbourhoods providing homes in safe, secure, and healthy environments for a mix of income groups
• Creating sustainable neighbourhoods providing homes in safe, secure, and healthy environments for a mix of income groups

Meeting Our Targets

The development is contributing to economic growth and environmental upgrade, in an area where unemployment is high, living conditions squalid, and economic activity in decline. Further residential and community amenity is being provided. Provincial and Local governments’ goals of using the area’s historical significance and tourism potential as the tools for economic and social transformation is becoming evidenced.
 
Achievements to date are listed below along with their specific objectives.

• Maximising the recreational public open space system along the Klipspruit (river)
• Sewer upgrade completed
• Environmental management framework completed and approved
• Green space master plan developed
• Wetlands clean-up (with DACEL) implemented
• Maximising economic growth and empowerment

Certain construction components of the Square was set aside for local SMME’S: paving, re-enforcing, plumbing, steel work,

• Economic development framework completed
• SME support implemented
• Training programmes in business acumen, plumbing, carpentry, bricklaying, plastering and tiling
• Trader’s Market complete
• CoJ Tourist Information centre for Soweto complete and operational
• Hotel complete
• Investment attraction achieved: Banks, Supermarket

Maximising the heritage, tourism and educational significance and importance of Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication

• Urban design framework completed to guide development
• Square construction completed and launched in June 2005
• Heritage, education and tourism plan completed and marketing on-going
• Museum built and launched in November 2006
• WSSD spaces Let
• Square and multi-purpose hall attracting many government and corporate events
• Marketing of the Square on-going
• Creating an integrated, safe, secure and efficient transport system
• K43 Phases 1 and 2 complete, roads on Square complete,
• Pedestrian bridges to link to Dlamini and Klipspruit west design completed
• Parking complete
• Taxi rank and retail complete

Creating sustainable neighbourhoods providing homes in safe, secure, and healthy environments for a mix of income groups

• Institutional Housing
• RDP Housing

Maximising human potential through pro-active social development programmes

• Social development strategy developed
• Functional development forum representing all stakeholders (GKDF)
• Environmental awareness programmes implemented
• Programmes focusing on women and youth implemented

Providing effective and efficient infrastructure and service delivery

• Master planning completed
• Sewer upgrade completed
• Electricity completed

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