Unveiling of the Statue of Gandhi as a young Lawyer in Johannesburg.

A CENTURY ago it would have been possible to see Mahatma Gandhi, dressed in flowing legal robes and clasping a book, striding across Johannesburg's Government Square. Now, that image of a young and determined lawyer has been captured in a bronze statue on Gandhi Square.  The square, first known as Government Square, housed the Witwatersrand courts.  Later, it became Van der Bijl Square, Johannesburg's main bus terminus. Then in 1999 it was given a face-lift and renamed Gandhi Square.  The statue stands tall on Gandhi Square, where the old law courts used to be and not far from where Gandhi's offices were. Hundreds turned out for its unveiling which coincided with the 134th anniversary of Gandhi's birth this week.

The larger-than-life statue depicts Gandhi as a young lawyer - as he was known in South Africa - and not the stereotypical image of him as an old man wearing white robes and round spectacles. The 2.2m bronze statue stands on top of a 2.8m plinth and weighs about 450kg.  The statue is sculpted by Tinka Christophe who spent three months working on the statue.

Former President Nelson Mandela said in a message read at the unveiling: "A hundred years ago Gandhi became the first person of colour to practise law in Johannesburg. Gandhi's offices and the old courts are long gone, but here too Gandhi paved the way for others."