Gandhi Square
Originally known as Van der Bijl Square, this central bus terminus lies adjacent to Johannesburg’s Eloff Street, situated close to Carlton Centre.
Gandhi Square, Johannesburg. Photo courtesy Gauteng Tourism Authority
This square was renamed in honour of Indian patriarch Mahatma Gandhi, a civil rights activist.
In the late 1990s property developer Gerald Olitzki was granted permission to revamp the terminus as part of Johannesburg’s inner-city renewal project, which aims to restore the CBD into the city’s business hub.
Refurbishment of the square was completed in 2002. It now has a new look and visitors can enjoy a quick meal at one of the restaurants and cafes that line the square while waiting for a bus – although passengers had better be quick, as bus drivers have been instructed to not wait for more than two minutes at the terminus.
The square is also used for a variety of public exhibitions and awareness campaigns, which are complimented by the advertising wrapping on the multiple buses as they whiz past the popular pick-up and drop zone. A few residential apartments, a pharmacy and optometrist also form part of the new-look square.