Johannesburg: Tupac Shakur's ashes are due to arrive in the country next Tuesday and will be buried in Zola, Soweto.
A five-phase memorial site is being planned for the area, with the final phase being an interactive all-encompassing arts museum.
Singer Macy Gray and the Tupac clothing range will be building orphanages in the area. Annual benefit concerts featuring international artists will be held to raise funds for the project.
Joburg City Parks has donated two hectares of undeveloped area in Zola 1 for the development. The initial plan includes development of the wetlands and greening of the park, which will involve children from the area as part of their eco-education.
Walkways, bridges and skate ramps, as well as a golf putting course for children, form Phase 3.
An amphitheatre is planned for Phase 4, while Phase 5 comprises the arts museum, which will reflect the history of South African music, film and fine arts.
The stakeholders include Joburg Tourism, Joburg City Parks, the arts, culture and heritage department of the City of Johannesburg, and SABC1.
The project starts on Wednesday next week when a memorial service for Tupac will be held on the site.
Artist Zola (Bonginkosi Dlamini), who was born in the area, will be hosting Tupac's mother, Afeni, and members of the Tupac Foundation, as well as American singer Gray, rapper Talib Kweli and Tupac's backing group, The Outlawz, from September 12 to 21.
Gray, Kweli and The Outlawz are also performing a few songs at the MTV Base concert on September 16 at Mary Fitzgerald Square. The event forms part of the annual Arts Alive festival.
The touring group are planning to meet with Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, officials from the ANC Women's League and singer Miriam Makeba, and will visit various children's and women's homes and Aids hospitals in Soweto.
Tupac, who died in a hail of bullets in New York, was known for his socially conscious lyrics. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the rap legend's death.