A group of business people and academics say they have a business plan that could see the Grand Parade and the Castle of Good Hope revamped, and the crumbling east city precinct given a facelift.
The group, including Mandela-Rhodes Foundation chairman Jakes Gerwel, want to see this part of the CBD - including the castle, the parade, the old Drill Hall, the City Hall, the Groote Kerk building and the Cape Town railway station building - act as a strategic link between the V&A Waterfront on the one end, and the buildings of parliament and the Company's Garden on the other.
Their plan includes erecting a statue of Nelson Mandela on the parade, renaming it Mandela Freedom Square and making the castle more tourist-friendly by introducing souvenir shops and restaurants.
Cape Town Partnership chief executive Andrew Boraine said the group would be invited to attend a conference on October 13 on the rejuvenation of the east city precinct - stretching from the station to Roeland Street and from Adderley Street to Canterbury Street.
The area also includes the Cape Town magistrate's court, department of labour, department of home affairs and the District Six museum.
Ton Vosloo, spokesperson for the group calling themselves simply "concerned citizens", said it was time for the parade and castle to be "reclaimed by the public".
Members of the group also include historian Dan Sleigh, architects Gawie and Gwen Fagan, cultural expert Helena Scheffler, chairperson of the VOC Foundation Piet Westra, and others.
Vosloo said: "The area is suffering from neglect. It would be a wonderful gateway from the harbour and the Waterfront to parliament and the historic sights.
"The parade is where Nelson Mandela made his first freedom speech after his release from jail. "We want to regain it for the people."
Vosloo added that the parade could be renamed the Mandela Freedom Square, and a statue of Mandela placed there.
"The parade has to become safer, just like the Waterfront.
"There used to be an antiques market on the parade on Saturdays as well, which we want to bring back."
The castle could be turned into a top tourist spot, including souvenir shops, restaurants and the opportunity to view the soldiers' drill procedures, said Vosloo.
"We are not trying to drive the defence force out. The castle no longer has strategic value for the military.
"The castle can even be linked to Robben Island by placing literature in the cells about prisoners who were first held in castle cells before they were taken to Robben Island.
"Tourists can include that as part of their tour of the Cape."
Vosloo said District Six should also be included in this tourism plan.
He said his group had approached Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, former Environmental Affairs minister Valli Moosa, Iziko Museums and the Cape Town Partnership.
Boraine said the partnership had meetings with the City of Cape Town, the provincial and national governments, city businesses and investors over the past six months to discuss the upgrading of the east city.
"We have five themes for the conference, including culture and heritage (which includes the Drill Hall, City Hall and parade) urban design, property, business trends and public services buildings," said Boraine.
The overall idea would be to get investors into the east city area up to District Six as part of the urban renewal plan.