Kempton Park, Gauteng
Encyclopedia
Kempton Park is a city on the East Rand in the Gauteng province
, South Africa
. Formerly an independent municipality in the Transvaal
, Kempton Park no longer has its own municipal government, and has been part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since 2000. Kempton Park is located north-east of Johannesburg
, South Africa's largest city, and south of Pretoria
, the administrative capitall. It is situated next to Tembisa
, one of the largest township
s in South Africa.
It was established in 1903 when Karl Wolff sub-divided a portion of his Zuurfontein farm into residential stands and named the new town Kempten
after the German
town in Bavaria
of his birth. The name was anglicised
into Kempton Park.
OR Tambo International Airport (Africa's busiest airport) is located in Kempton Park. In 1952 the airport, then known as Jan Smuts International Airport, was built on land next to the community, and opened in 1953. The airport's name was changed to Johannesburg International Airport in the late 1990s and then to OR Tambo International Airport in 2006.
The city has six major high schools (secondary schools): Jeugland Hoërskool
, Kempton Hoër (Kempton High), Rhodesfield High School, Birchleigh Hoër, Norkem Park High and Sir Pierre van Ryneveld.
Spartan is a large industrial zone which holds many chemical manufacturing and other industrial sites.
Kempton Park also has a large coal power plant named Kelvin
power station.
, the capital of the Austro-Bavarian
district Allgäu
in South Germany. After school and an early training in the iron and steel industry, he moved to London and in 1873, embarked on a financial career. In 1875 his company, Adolph Mosenthal & Co. transferred him to South Africa where he took command of the accounting division in the Port Elizabeth branch. In 1880 he was transferred to Bloemfontein
where he married Maria Fichardt, granddaughter of Carl Wuras, a noted missionary.
In 1888, Wolff was transferred to Pretoria
to establish a branch office. He became a leading figure among the German community and was elected as chairman of the local German Club. From Pretoria he moved to Johannesburg to open another branch office and became a founder member and the first chairman of the German Club in the city.
Because of his German origin, Carl Friedrich Wolff was a natural choice as a go-between for the Z.A.R. in their transactions with the Nobel Trust, who were building the dynamite factory. The Nobel company had established the Zuid-Afrikaansche Fabrieken voor Ontplofbare Stoffen and had appointed Wolff as local director in South Africa (although he apparently retained his connections with his English employers).
The Nobel Trust exercised complete financial control over the dynamite factory and Wolff's major role appears to have been as negotiator with the Z.A.R. government and local landowners. During the establishment of the dynamite factory and the delicate negotiations which evolved as a result of the private rail link from the factory to Zuurfontein, Wolff played a prominent part.
The exciting events taking place at this time can well be imagined. Gold fever had gripped the Witwatersrand
and the dynamite factory was a vital industrial necessity. Land speculation was rife, community development was beginning to take shape and Carl Wolff, at the peak of his career, was right in the heart of the drama.
Establishing the rail link was of prime importance and successful negotiation with the owners of the farm Zuurfontein, the Buitendags, was crucial. The Buitendags' great complaint was that the existing railway line already divided their property and some 113 morgen on the east side of the farm was completely cut off from the main property. The new railroad to the dynamite factory would further divide their property and disrupt their farming operations.
Tembisa
is a large township situated to the north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1957 when Africans were resettled from Alexandra
and other areas in Edenvale
, Kempton Park, Midrand
and Germiston
.
took place on June 25, 1993 when approximately three thousand members of the Afrikaner Volksfront (AVF), Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging
(AWB) and other paramilitary right-wing Afrikaner groups stormed the World Trade Centre in Kempton Park, Johannesburg
. At the time of the attack the World Trade Centre was the venue for multi-party CODESA negotiations to end the apartheid system through the country's first multi-racial elections. These negotiations were strongly opposed by right-wing white groups in South Africa. The invasion came after other clashes between police and right-wingers, such as the Battle of Ventersdorp
, and much belligerent rhetoric from right-wing leaders such as Eugène Terre'Blanche
of the AWB.
, the population of Kempton Park consisted of 117,271 people living in 39,119 households. 71% of the people described themselves as "White, 26% as "Black African" and 2% as "Coloured
". 47% spoke Afrikaans as their first language
and 28% spoke English
.
South African Airways
, the flag carrier of South Africa, and subsidiary South African Express Airways have their head offices in Kempton Park. Airlink
, a regional South African airline, has its headquarters on the grounds of OR Tambo Airport. Mango
, a low cost airline, is headquartered on the grounds of OR Tambo. The headquarters of Comair
and Kulula.com
are at an intersection within Ekurhuleni in close proximity to OR Tambo. Federal Air
also has its headquarters on the OR Tambo grounds. 1Time
has its head office in the Isando Industrial Park. Safair
's head office is in Kempton Park.
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Formerly an independent municipality in the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
, Kempton Park no longer has its own municipal government, and has been part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since 2000. Kempton Park is located north-east of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa's largest city, and south of Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, the administrative capitall. It is situated next to Tembisa
Tembisa
Tembisa is a large township situated to the north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1957 when Africans were resettled from Alexandra and other areas in Edenvale, Kempton Park, Midrand and Germiston.-Etymology:...
, one of the largest township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
s in South Africa.
It was established in 1903 when Karl Wolff sub-divided a portion of his Zuurfontein farm into residential stands and named the new town Kempten
Kempten im Allgäu
Kempten is the largest town in Allgäu, a region in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. The population was ca 61,000 in 2006. The area was possibly settled originally by Celts, but was later overtaken by the Romans, who called the town Cambodunum...
after the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
town in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
of his birth. The name was anglicised
Anglicisation
Anglicisation, or anglicization , is the process of converting verbal or written elements of any other language into a form that is more comprehensible to an English speaker, or, more generally, of altering something such that it becomes English in form or character.The term most often refers to...
into Kempton Park.
OR Tambo International Airport (Africa's busiest airport) is located in Kempton Park. In 1952 the airport, then known as Jan Smuts International Airport, was built on land next to the community, and opened in 1953. The airport's name was changed to Johannesburg International Airport in the late 1990s and then to OR Tambo International Airport in 2006.
The city has six major high schools (secondary schools): Jeugland Hoërskool
Jeugland Hoërskool
Jeugland Hoërskool is an Afrikaans high school in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa.-External links:*...
, Kempton Hoër (Kempton High), Rhodesfield High School, Birchleigh Hoër, Norkem Park High and Sir Pierre van Ryneveld.
Suburbs
Kempton Park was declared a City in 1992 and has the following suburbs:- CresslawnCresslawnCresslawn is a suburb of Kempton Park, in Gauteng province, South Africa. The suburb has a primary school named Cresslawn Primary School, that was established in 1980....
- BirchleighBirchleighBirchleigh is one of the northernmost suburbs of Kempton Park, in Gauteng province, South Africa....
- Kempton Park West
- EdleenEdleenEdleen is a suburb in western Kempton Park, in Gauteng province, South Africa....
- Van Riebeeck ParkVan Riebeeck ParkVan Riebeeckpark is a suburb of Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa. It has a high school named Jeugland Hoërskool and a primary school named Laerskool Van Riebeeckpark....
- Glen Marais
- Norkem ParkNorkem ParkNorkem Park is a suburb in northern Kempton Park, in Gauteng province, South Africa....
- Allen GroveAllen Grove (South Africa)Allen Grove is a suburb of Kempton Park, in Gauteng province, South Africa....
- Nimrod Park
- Rhodesfield
- Bonaero ParkBonaero ParkBonaero Park is a southern suburb of Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, in Gauteng province, South Africa. It lies next to OR Tambo International Airport, the busiest in Africa...
- Terenure
- Esther ParkEsther ParkEsther Park, also spelt Estherpark, is a suburb of Kempton Park, in Gauteng province, South Africa....
- Aston Manor
- Spartan
- Croydon
- Bredell
- Pomona
- Birch Acres
- Birchleigh North
Spartan is a large industrial zone which holds many chemical manufacturing and other industrial sites.
Kempton Park also has a large coal power plant named Kelvin
Kelvin
The kelvin is a unit of measurement for temperature. It is one of the seven base units in the International System of Units and is assigned the unit symbol K. The Kelvin scale is an absolute, thermodynamic temperature scale using as its null point absolute zero, the temperature at which all...
power station.
History of Kempton Park
Carl Friedrich Wolff was born on Christmas Eve 1851 in KemptenKempten im Allgäu
Kempten is the largest town in Allgäu, a region in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. The population was ca 61,000 in 2006. The area was possibly settled originally by Celts, but was later overtaken by the Romans, who called the town Cambodunum...
, the capital of the Austro-Bavarian
Austro-Bavarian
Bavarian , also Austro-Bavarian, is a major group of Upper German varieties spoken in the south east of the German language area.-History and origin:...
district Allgäu
Allgäu
The Allgäu is a southern German region in Swabia. It covers the south of Bavarian Swabia and southeastern Baden-Württemberg. The region stretches from the prealpine lands up to the Alps...
in South Germany. After school and an early training in the iron and steel industry, he moved to London and in 1873, embarked on a financial career. In 1875 his company, Adolph Mosenthal & Co. transferred him to South Africa where he took command of the accounting division in the Port Elizabeth branch. In 1880 he was transferred to Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
where he married Maria Fichardt, granddaughter of Carl Wuras, a noted missionary.
In 1888, Wolff was transferred to Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
to establish a branch office. He became a leading figure among the German community and was elected as chairman of the local German Club. From Pretoria he moved to Johannesburg to open another branch office and became a founder member and the first chairman of the German Club in the city.
Because of his German origin, Carl Friedrich Wolff was a natural choice as a go-between for the Z.A.R. in their transactions with the Nobel Trust, who were building the dynamite factory. The Nobel company had established the Zuid-Afrikaansche Fabrieken voor Ontplofbare Stoffen and had appointed Wolff as local director in South Africa (although he apparently retained his connections with his English employers).
The Nobel Trust exercised complete financial control over the dynamite factory and Wolff's major role appears to have been as negotiator with the Z.A.R. government and local landowners. During the establishment of the dynamite factory and the delicate negotiations which evolved as a result of the private rail link from the factory to Zuurfontein, Wolff played a prominent part.
The exciting events taking place at this time can well be imagined. Gold fever had gripped the Witwatersrand
Witwatersrand
The Witwatersrand is a low, sedimentary range of hills, at an elevation of 1700–1800 metres above sea-level, which runs in an east-west direction through Gauteng in South Africa. The word in Afrikaans means "the ridge of white waters". Geologically it is complex, but the principal formations...
and the dynamite factory was a vital industrial necessity. Land speculation was rife, community development was beginning to take shape and Carl Wolff, at the peak of his career, was right in the heart of the drama.
Establishing the rail link was of prime importance and successful negotiation with the owners of the farm Zuurfontein, the Buitendags, was crucial. The Buitendags' great complaint was that the existing railway line already divided their property and some 113 morgen on the east side of the farm was completely cut off from the main property. The new railroad to the dynamite factory would further divide their property and disrupt their farming operations.
Tembisa
Tembisa
Tembisa is a large township situated to the north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1957 when Africans were resettled from Alexandra and other areas in Edenvale, Kempton Park, Midrand and Germiston.-Etymology:...
is a large township situated to the north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1957 when Africans were resettled from Alexandra
Alexandra, Gauteng
Alexandra or Alex for short, nicknamed Gomora is a township located in Gauteng province, South Africa. It is part of Johannesburg, close to the wealthy suburb of Sandton and is bounded by Wynberg on the west, Marlboro and Kelvin on the north, Kew, Lombardy West and Lombardy East on the south...
and other areas in Edenvale
Edenvale, Gauteng
Edenvale is a town on the East Rand in Gauteng, South Africa. It started out in 1903, after the Anglo Boer War as a small settlement named Rietfontein which sprung up around the Rietfontein Gold Mine. It was made a municipality in 1942. It was initially populated by Cornish mineworkers. Modern...
, Kempton Park, Midrand
Midrand, Gauteng
Midrand is an area in central Gauteng Province, South Africa, between Centurion and Sandton. It was established as a municipality in 1981, but was incorporated the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in 2000...
and Germiston
Germiston, Gauteng
Germiston is a city in the East Rand of Gauteng in South Africa. Germiston is now the seat of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality which includes much of the East Rand, and is also considered part of Greater Johannesburg.-History:...
.
Storming of the Kempton Park World Trade Centre
The storming of Kempton Park World Trade CentreStorming of Kempton Park World Trade Centre
The storming of the Kempton Park World Trade Centre took place in South Africa on June 25, 1993 when approximately three thousand members of the Afrikaner Volksfront , Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging and other paramilitary right-wing Afrikaner groups stormed the World Trade Centre in Kempton Park,...
took place on June 25, 1993 when approximately three thousand members of the Afrikaner Volksfront (AVF), Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging
Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging
The Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging is a South African far right separatist political and former paramilitary organization, since its creation dedicated to secessionist Afrikaner nationalism and the creation of an independent Boer-Afrikaner republic or "" in part of South Africa...
(AWB) and other paramilitary right-wing Afrikaner groups stormed the World Trade Centre in Kempton Park, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. At the time of the attack the World Trade Centre was the venue for multi-party CODESA negotiations to end the apartheid system through the country's first multi-racial elections. These negotiations were strongly opposed by right-wing white groups in South Africa. The invasion came after other clashes between police and right-wingers, such as the Battle of Ventersdorp
Battle of Ventersdorp
The Battle of Ventersdorp on 9 August 1991 was a violent confrontation in the South African town of Ventersdorp between right wing supporters of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging and the South African Police and security forces...
, and much belligerent rhetoric from right-wing leaders such as Eugène Terre'Blanche
Eugène Terre'Blanche
Eugène Ney Terre'Blanche was a former member of South Africa's Herstigte Nasionale Party who founded the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging during the apartheid era...
of the AWB.
Demography
In the census of 2001South African National Census of 2001
The South African National Census of 2001 is the most recent national census of South Africa.The census was undertaken by Statistics South Africa and undertook to enumerate every person present in South Africa on the census night, 9–10 October 2001. The enumeration primarily took place from 10 to...
, the population of Kempton Park consisted of 117,271 people living in 39,119 households. 71% of the people described themselves as "White, 26% as "Black African" and 2% as "Coloured
Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...
". 47% spoke Afrikaans as their first language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
and 28% spoke English
South African English
The term South African English is applied to the first-language dialects of English spoken by South Africans, with the L1 English variety spoken by Zimbabweans, Zambians and Namibians, being recognised as offshoots.There is some social and regional variation within South African English...
.
Economy
Several airline companies are headquartered in Kempton Park.South African Airways
South African Airways
South African Airways is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The airline flies to 36 destinations worldwide from its hub at OR Tambo International...
, the flag carrier of South Africa, and subsidiary South African Express Airways have their head offices in Kempton Park. Airlink
Airlink
Airlink is an airline based in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is privately owned and has developed into South Africa's first feeder network aimed at linking the smaller towns, regional centers and hubs throughout South Africa...
, a regional South African airline, has its headquarters on the grounds of OR Tambo Airport. Mango
Mango (airline)
Mango is a South African low-cost airline. It operates domestic scheduled budget services. Its main base is OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg...
, a low cost airline, is headquartered on the grounds of OR Tambo. The headquarters of Comair
Comair (South Africa)
Comair is an airline based in South Africa. It operates scheduled services on domestic trunk routes as a British Airways franchisee and an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. Its main base is OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, with hubs at Cape Town International Airport...
and Kulula.com
Kulula.com
kulula.com, also known as Kulula Air , is a South African low-fare airline, operating on major domestic routes out of OR Tambo International Airport, outside of Johannesburg. There are also a limited number of international flights to Namibia, Mauritius, Zambia and Zimbabwe...
are at an intersection within Ekurhuleni in close proximity to OR Tambo. Federal Air
Federal Air
Federal Air is an airline headquartered in Hangar 14 on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa, near Johannesburg....
also has its headquarters on the OR Tambo grounds. 1Time
1Time
1Time is a low-cost airline based in the Isando Industrial Park in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa. It operates scheduled domestic services...
has its head office in the Isando Industrial Park. Safair
Safair
Safair is an airline based in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa. Operator of one of the world's largest fleets of civil Lockheed L-100 Hercules cargo aircraft, it also conducts aircraft chartering, leasing and sales, contract operations and leasing services, flightcrew leasing and...
's head office is in Kempton Park.