A six-metre-tall statue of the father of the South African nation, Nelson Mandela, towers over the large square in the heart of Sandton.

 The square, which was previously known as Sandton Square, was appropriately renamed Nelson Mandela Square in March 2004 on the shopping centre’s 10th birthday, which coincided with the 10th anniversary of South Africa’s democracy.

 The statue was sculpted by Kobus Hattingh and Jacob Maponyane. It is 2.3 metre wide, with a shoulder width of 1.7 metre.

 Visitors to the square often pose alongside the towering Madiba statue which also provides a talking point for diners while enjoying a meal at one of the restaurants under the African sky.

  Last year, a one-metre replica of the Mandela statue was unveiled by the struggle icon’s widow Graça Machel. The sculpture enables visually impaired people to touch and interact with the famous statue of Mandela.

Dust to offices

A place that used to be a farming community filled with sandy horse-trails, is now, 46 years later, a regional business district. According to Property 24, the Sandton City shopping centre started operating on 12 September 1973.

The shopping centre, located on 5th Street and Rivonia Road in Sandown, Sandton Central, is managed by Liberty Properties.

When one visits the centre, they can feast their eyes on Manhattan-style skyscrapers, luxurious houses, office towers, international and locally renowned brands and exotic cars.

 The name Sandton came about by incorporating the names of the two suburbs, Sandhurst and Bryanston. Next to the Johannesburg CBD, the Sandton area is the second-largest office zone in the country.

First CENTRE away from cbd

Named after Hyde Park in London, Hyde Park Corner is situated on the corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and William Nicol Drive and opened its doors in 1969.

   The shopping centre was built in the central part of the Hyde Park suburb and hence, it became the first fully-enclosed shopping centre in South Africa not within a central business district.

   Over the years, Hyde Park Corner has consistently catered to the needs of its discerning shoppers by keeping up with the latest trends. The shopping centre offers a wide variety of upmarket stores including, fashion boutiques, a cinema, book shops and restaurants and eateries.

   Both local and international visitors frequent this vibrant shopping centre.

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The iconic bull sculpture, created by Michael Canadasis, stands outside The Bull Run across the road from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The larger-than-life piece measures three metres by two metres, depicting a powerful bull.