Nelson Mandela Square, Public square with bronze statue in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Nelson Mandela Square is a shopping centre and open plaza in Sandton, Johannesburg, built in a faux-Italian style modelled on St Mark's Square in Venice. At its centre, atop a short flight of shallow stone steps, stands a six-metre bronze statue of Mandela in a suit on a dark rectangular plinth. Behind it rises a light-tan stone facade with a large central arched window, rows of rectangular windows and ground-level arcades; trees and a low stone-edged pool flank the statue.

The space was originally named Sandton Square when established in 1994, then renamed in 2004 with the installation of the central bronze statue. This change reflected a shift toward honoring major figures in South Africa's recent history within public spaces.

The square's name honours Nelson Mandela, whose nickname Madiba is invoked by manager Gary Vipond in describing its character. The 2004 renaming drew criticism because the square sits in South Africa's most opulent area while Mandela stood for the disadvantaged. A library stands at the far end of the square.

The square opens onto Sandton City, so shops and restaurants are reached on foot without going outside. The plaza covers about 1,000 square metres, with a library at its far end. The Michelangelo Towers complex adjoins the square. The central statue stands at the top of a short flight of shallow stone steps, beside a low stone-edged pool.

The six-metre bronze was sculpted by Kobus Hattingh and Jacob Maponyane, commissioned in July 2002 and completed in February 2004, weighing about 2.5 tons. It was the first public statue of Nelson Mandela in South Africa, unveiled when the square took his name.